HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hard to believe that 2006 is coming to a close and 2007 is about to begin!

We wish each of you a very Blessed New Year!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Christmas Day 2006

Kim, Dave and Karsten



Michelle, Mark and Sydney (Sydney is following in mommy's footsteps - she wants to take the pictures!)



Steve and Noelle



Kari, Rich and Megan




Melanie and Aaron joined us too!








The best Christmas gift we could ask for - being surrounded by our children, their spouses (whom we claim as our children also), our grandchildren and of course good friends!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

2006 Christmas Eve

We had our Annual Christmas Eve gathering on Sunday evening. We put out a general "come on over" invitation on the back of our Christmas cards - some years we have a few and some years we have a few more - we had 21 for Christmas Eve 2006. Some people come to church, some people come to the fellowship and some people come for both. A very informal evening - just lots of goodies to eat and fun fellowship! Hope you can join us next year!



Getting ready for the chocolate fountain!



Dave and Elaine Robinson



Uncle Joe and Aunt Retha Ponticelli



The Cleveland Family Doug, Kathy, Amanda, Mel, Bill and son Adrian



Jeannie Teague, Tom Teague and Sally Skaggs



Karla with Cousins Sally and Jeannie



Sally Skaggs and Jeannie Teague



Jeannie and Mark Teague



Kathy and Darrell Hagar with Andy Hagar, Dennis Thomas and Helen Thomas







We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Christmas is right around the corner!

As you can see, Megan, Sydney and Karsten are ready for the big day!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

We Give Thanks....

Megan Elizabeth Barch




Sydney Marie Garon




Karsten David Vaughn




Kim, Dave & Karsten




Michelle, Mark & Sydney





Steve & Noelle




Kari, Richard & Megan



The Whole Family!!

We had a Great Thanksgiving Day - complete with way too much food and surrounded by the ones that we love! Had lots of phone conversations with Florida, Alabama and New York to our extended family - who we miss so much!

Enjoy Life!

Russ and Karla

Halloween - Finally!

Thought you would like to see pictures of Megan, our ladybug, Sydney, our pumpkin, and Karsten, our monkey. They dressed up here for their "formal" Halloween pictures - haha - and then dressed again to visit all their grandparents on Halloween.

TIGERS WIN!!!

Tigers sweep the series against the Oakland A's and now will go to the World Series! First time since 1984! Two outs, tied game at the bottom of the 9th inning and Magglio Ordonez hits a 3 run homer!! Hooray!!!

How exciting for the Tigers and the City of Detroit! Mark & Richard Garon were excited to be at this game!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Sydney gets ear tubes!

Sydney has had a very long day! This morning she got ear tubes - we are praying that this will mark the end of many, many double ear infections!

This afternoon she got to go back to the hospital because she fell and hit her eye causing it to bleed. Dr. Dubina wanted her to go to the ER to be sure there was not other eye damage. All is well though, no stitches and just some antibiotic cream to help the tear to heal.

Tonight she will get to use her new weighted blanket - and her weighted long haired white monkey too. The weighted blanket should help her to sleep and the monkey's long hair might give her mommy's hair a little rest too.

Doesn't Sydney look cute in her little hospital gown - of course she does but we sure don't want to see her in another one! ;-)

Enjoy life!

Karla and Russ

Happy Birthday Dee!

Can't believe how the time flies - I remember the day my sister, Dee - Denise - was born! I was just 3 years and 3 1/2 months old - but remember it clearly! Dad was downtown working so a neighbor took mom to the hospital - I was taking my nap so the neighbor's wife was listening for me. When I woke she took me down the street to where Grandma BeeBee was living with Uncle David, Linda, Buzzy and Dickie (who now go by the names of Ralph and Richard). I sat out on the side walk and didn't move the rest of the afternoon until dad came to get me - I had wet my pants and if I moved then someone would know! Anyway, dad came to get me to let me know that I had a baby sister!

And now she is a little older :-) and I am still excited and honored to have her as my sister!

Love you Dee, don't work so hard, but mostly....

...Enjoy Life!

Karla and Russ

Happy Birthday Sydney!

These are Sydney's 1 year pictures. What a beautiful girl - and so very loved! Wonderful things do happen on September 11!

Enjoy life!

Russ & Karla

Sydney is almost 1!

While Sydney will not be officially 1 until September 11, she was honored today with a birthday celebration! She had all of her cousins (Daniel, Alison, Megan & Karsten) in attendance along with all her aunts and uncles (Uncle Rich & Aunt Jen, Aunt Kim & Uncle Dave, Uncle Steve & Aunt Noelle, Aunt Kari & Uncle Rich) - and of course Grandma & Grandpa Garon and Grandma & Grandpa Patterson.

Aunt Noelle made Sydney a special cake with no dairy products so she could enjoy cake on her special day!

Sydney has some beautiful 1 year pictures - will post them on her birthday!

Russ and I are truly blessed with wonderful children (all "8" of them!) and now with 3 absolutely beautiful grandchildren, Megan, Sydney and Karsten. Our love for our great family grows more each day!

Enjoy life!

Russ & Karla

Happy 50th Anniversary!

Joe & Rita Ponticelli


1956 - 2006 = 50 very fast moving years!

Pam & Mark and Kevin & Mari, along with Michele, Jessica, Derek, Tyler & Trevor, planned a beautiful 50th anniversary for Aunt Rita and Uncle Joe.

The festivities included a video slide show - fun to see all the "very much young-er" photos of Aunt Retha and Uncle Joe along with many of the family and friends too. The slide show was followed by a poem read by the family explaining how things were in 1956.

We were served a delicious dinner followed by cake and ice cream. We were all honored to be able to celebrate this great occasion.

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Megan One Year Pictures!

What a cutie!

Enjoy life!

Russ & Karla

Happy Birthday Megan!!

Where has the year gone?? Seems like just yesterday we received the call from Richard saying Megan has arrived - and heard her crying in the background! She is a precious baby - always smiling and laughing. She loves Elmo anything and everything! She has never taken a pacifier - unless she is at Grandma's and then she takes them out of Sydney or Karsten's mouth and enjoys them too!

Will update asap with her 1 year pictures!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Happy Belated Birthday Noelle!

What kind of a new mother in law am I????? I forgot to post a "Happy Birthday Noelle"! We celebrated Noelle's birthday in June - with the June birthdays and with Father's Day. Then I was out of town on her actual birthday. But I did call her!!

She sure has had to put up with me so far though! When adding Noelle to Steve's health insurance after their wedding I made the mistake of ordering the new insurance cards - with her maiden name!! When I asked if they had received the cards she laughed and told me she was still Noelle Chaney. I certainly did re-order those cards right away! Good thing Noelle has a great sense of humor!

We are blessed to have Noelle join our family!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Can You Sleep When the Wind Blows?

Received the following from a friend and thought you would all enjoy it!

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast.

He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were

reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the

awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received

a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached

the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help,

hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from

dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore.

Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed

next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the

little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming!

Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No
sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on
the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had

been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred.

The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.


Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his

hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while

the wind blew.


When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically,

you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the

wind blows through your life?

The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he

had secured the farm against the storm.

We secure ourselves against the storms of life by
grounding ourselves in the Word of God.

We don't need to understand, we just need to hold

His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.

Hope you can sleep when the wind blows!!!

Enjoy Life!

Russ and Karla

Happy Birthday Richard!

We wish son in law Richard a very happy 28th birthday! He is celebrating it by going to Grayling on a weekend outing with Kari, Megan and some friends. We will celebrate all the June/July birthdays and Father's Day at the same time.

Enjoy Life!

Karla and Russ

6th Grade is Fun - even 45 years later!

Since May, 2002 Russ and some of his former 6th grade classmates have gathered for a Memorial Sunday Picnic. All of the spouses have become such good friends that sometimes it is hard to know who was the classmate and who is the spouse. Thought you would like to see a picture of the 6th Grade Class of East Southfield Elementary taken this year. (Had a smaller group this year due to the sudden death of one very special classmate, heart surgery for another and the loss of a pet that day to another.) Pictured is Leonard Schwandt, Houghton, MI, Pam Easlick Pile, Battle Creek, MI, Linda Lockwood Gregg, TN, Russ Patterson, Shelby Township, MI, and Melodye Miller Ammer, Sturgis, MI

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Happy Birthday Kari!

Hard to believe our baby is 26!!! Where does the time go?? Now she is a married lady, a pediatric emergency room nurse and a mommy herself!

We are so proud of the woman she is today - loves to cook - can follow recipes and cooks most things from scratch using meat Richard has captured (ok - killed). She is such a dedicated mother - always looking out for Megan, the joy of her life. Where you find Megan you will usually find Kari nearby. People talk about needing to get away from their children while Kari looks for the opportunity to spend time and teach Megan - and it shows.

While dating, Richard introduced Kari to the bow. Kari became quite proficient quickly. She could split arrows easily right in the bulls eye. Karla had a hard time just pulling the bow back much less making it hit the target. Richard also introduced her to deer hunting with a gun. On her first trip out during deer season she called home by 8 a.m. to tell her dad that she had already got 2! Kari grew up with a small lap dog, Cricket. Now she and Richard have 5 big dogs - and Kari is still known to hold them in her lap occasionally.

Kari has given us a few scares - like the time she called from the freeway after hydroplaning into a semi! She was in the ambulance and declining transport to a hospital - she said no need to overburden hospital workers when she was just fine - and could I meet her at a gas station where the police would drive her. Or how about the time she went canoeing with Rich and the canoe tipped and she was caught in the weeds and currents and he pulled her out? Or the time when she was about 2 and managed to slip from her swimming ring and daddy had to jump in a Florida pool to fish her out? That same day she got a fork caught between her teeth and then mommy let a restaurant door hit her in the face. We were spared some nervous times as a hurricane hit their honeymoon spot a week before their wedding - instead they toured Michigan and went to Cabo San Lucas for their one year anniversary.

To know Kari is to love her - and we sure do! We are so glad that Number 4 arrived for us!

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Attitude

Recently I received the following email regarding attitude. We can all choose to be thankful and happy - or resentful and sad. What will you choose?

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."? So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M, " she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything.


Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).”

Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla

Just one more for today!

Chit Chat

You may kiss the bride! Steve & Noelle will leave for Aruba soon!



A great picture of Russ' mom from the wedding!



Megan and Sydney wonder just what Karsten is doing!




Where does the time go - Megan is already 9 months old!









Enjoy life!

Russ and Karla