Garthe Family

 We've had a pretty mild winter this year. And I'd been itching to get to the beach. So we spent a Saturday afternoon lounging on the sand and riding bikes. It was so GLORIOUS!!! I Love Love Love the Beach!!! Especially when I don't have to get in the water.  

 Grandma Garthe turned 80 on January 22nd. Since the weekend before had a Monday holiday John and his siblings planned a party for her. The college kids and Kenna, Brittanie, and Nick flew in for the weekend. We had a blast playing games and hanging out.  The actual party was on Saturday night. Lora, George, Myrna, & Molly came from Orange County, and 4 of Grandma's nieces came from Utah, Las Vegas, and Cerritos area. (Vicki, Lorie, Kelly, & Debbie) We all had a great time eating and playing BUNCO. I think everyone had a blast!!! On Monday before everyone headed home we all got to say Hello to Trent (Elder Garthe) who is serving in Peru. All the cousins even took a picture together. 

We have a wonderful temple coordinator in our ward that scheduled a trip for all the youth turning 12 this year to go to the temple together to do baptisms with their family.  Since the college kids had already gone back to school the trip was just the 3 youngest and John and I.  Jillian really loved being in the temple with her friends.   It was such a magical morning to be with so many families that we live. It was a great day. 

Madison insisted we do something before she went back to school. So a paint night was perfect!

 It feels like we have been waiting for this day F-O-R-E-V-E-R.  Finally all 7 of us got to be in the temple together.  We made sure to schedule Jillian's temple recommend interview early enough for her to get her temple recommend on January 1st. And we scheduled an appointment at the Newport Temple for January 2nd (before the college kids went back to Idaho) It was a Glorious Day!!! It's hard to go to the Newport Beach temple and not make a trip to see the ocean. It brings peace to my soul. Luckily were we a bit early for our temple appointment so we were able to see the ocean and take a quick photo.  It was a very special night being in The House of the Lord with my eternal family. 

Our family loves to play games. A few years ago we discovered Escape Rooms. And we are hooked!!!  A good friend of ours recommended a company in Corona so we gifted the family the "Wonderland" room.  We celebrated the new year by heading to Over the Moon Escape Rooms for a challenge.  We all had a great time. The room was very well created and had lots of good challenges and clues. Everyone got to patriciate and we all had a great time.  We escaped the room in 36 minutes.

 Wow! How is another year coming to a close?  2025 was a good year! And 2026 is going to be AMAZING!! We celebrate with Johns family and had a mellow night of games and food.