Live Laugh Love: 50 years of Happily Ever After

This year my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. What an amazing accomplishment. I think I have some of the most wonderful parents ever, and I look up to them so much. I know they have helped me to be the person I am today. With that said, it is understandable that I would want to do something special for their anniversary. And I was not alone in this thought. My siblings felt the same way. The trouble was, my parents took off for a two week cruise to Hawaii for their anniversary the end of January. All thoughts of flying out to Utah to surprise them kind of deflated. But then, my sweet niece Melissa decided to get married in March. As I planned my trip out to Utah to attend the wedding, my sisters and I got a great idea. Why not have the anniversary party then.
Through countless group e-mails, we had that party planned in a jiffy. When my sisters and I put our heads together, it all comes together pretty fast. We planned food and a location and some tributes and a slide show and a book and so on and so on...all via e-mail. And it turned out BEAUTIFULLY! What a perfect and wonderful evening with my parents. I took on the project of the slide show and the photo book. So that pretty much meant that I spent weeks absorbed in old pictures and old memories, many times with tears coming to my eyes. How thankful I am for the upbringing that I had. How thankful I am for these wonderful loving parents that filled our lives with loving family time, family adventures, teaching moments, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We were able to have the party in a board room/training room at my brother in laws office. It worked out so great. We were able to go the night before and decorate and had enough room to have tables and a slide show and a display. It was perfect.

When my parents visited in December, I took some nice portraits of them. I decided to turn one of them into a blown up canvas that was a gift from all of us kids, along with a nice 40 page picture book of their life. I think they really enjoyed both items.

I enlarged about 15 pictures of my parents in their young married life, or in their youth, and we had them framed and put all around the tables.

Lexi and Kari, my niece and her husband (above), and Charlie, my oldest brother (below)

My sister Linda organized a tribute book for my parents. She e-mailed us all questions about what we remembered about our parents as we were growing up or what they had taught us etc. She compiled it all into one book and then that evening at the party, each of us siblings stood up and read a few of our favorite memories of growing up with our parents. It was funny, and touching, and so entertaining. I could have gone down memory lane all night. I think my parents were really touched that we were all there and all had such good memories of growing up. These two below (Melissa and Darrell) are the love birds that were awaiting their wedding in another two days from this event.

So many of my parents grown grandchildren and their spouses attended the party. It was neat for them to see so much of their family history play out through our memories and through the slide show.

Some of my mom's siblings were also able to attend. This is my mom' s brother Galen and his wife.

Okay...yes, my eyes are shut. I asked John to take a picture of me while I said my little part. He took about eight pictures...and I HAVE MY EYES SHUT IN EVERY ONE. What in the world? Do I just talk with my eyes closed? Weird. But to make me feel better, my sisters also all had their eyes shut, or funny looks on their faces as they talked (so I kindly didn't include those photos), so maybe it is a Fulks girl thing.

Above, my brother Rusty giving such a moving and heart felt tribute to my parents. One of the highlights of the evening. And below, my nephew James. Well...a cut out of my nephew james, who is on a mission. My brother had this made for the wedding (so it would be like james was at his sister's wedding), and so he brought it along.

Brenda Jaramillo, my oldest sister, with my parents. Somehow I missed getting Larry, her wonderful husband in the shot.

Charlie and Colleen (oldest brother and his wife), with Mom and Dad

Jon and Jodi (younger brother and his wife), with mom and Dad

Linda and Randy (Oldest sister...twin to Brenda...with her husband) and parents

Wendy (my older sister) and her husband Darin with Mom and Dad

Unfortunately my two youngest brothers left before I thought to take these photos with mom and Dad, so they are sadly not represented right here.

I figured I just have to post a few of my "growing up" pictures. I have so many memories of being a part of this big fun family, and so I thought I would share a few. Yes...that does mean some serious 70's style issues, and some serious 80's hair. It is what it is. Have a sense of humor and bear with me.