Sorry I have not posted anything lately.  I guess I have the excuse of working two jobs but that is not really an excuse.  So here goes.  I was thinking the other day about the joys of vacations with my family and I want to share some of my favorite memories with you.  First of all, let me give you all some advise.  It is important to become financially secure in life, something that I have not spent enough effort on in my life time, but it is also very important to stop and smell the rose in life once in a while.  Trouble is most of that rose smelling time is not cheep.  My Dad taught me that spending time with your family on vacation is important.
Some of my favorite memories:
First with Robert and family.  When Robert was a senior in high school, we had Gabriel Ellias come and stay with us for a few months.  I had a pharmacy C.E. scheduled in San Diego, Ca and decided to take Robert and Gab with me on this business trip.  We stayed in a hotel just to the north of San Diego.  The thing I remember was renting jet skis and riding them in the area by Sea World.  I remember that my jet ski did not work that well, but Gab and Robert had a blast.  I also remember another trip to San Diego with Robert.  My Dad and Mom had been called to serve in the San Diego mission.  Two days before their farewell, Robert fell off a cabin roof at Bear Lake and broke his wrist.  He did not get to go to his Grandpa and Grandma's farewell meeting.  They left Robert in a hospital bed.  When Robert got his mission call, I wanted to get him down to San Diego to bid farewell to his Grandpa and Grandma Winter.  We spent a few days with Elder and Sister Winter at the Morman Battallion Center, the San Diego Temple, at their apartment, and   got them to a presentation of "Forever Plaid" in Old San Diego.  It was great to be with my Son and my Mom and Dad.  After Rob had been home for awhile, Sue and I had bought the Hawaii house and it had some problems that needed to be fixed.  Robert was working at the pharmacy for me and I decided that he would be perfect to send to Hawaii to do some repairs.  But who wants to go to Hawaii alone.  So I told him to ask this Kristen Jensen girl who he had started to date to go with him to Hawaii.  Turns out she did go with him.  We told Rhena to make sure that she slept in the room with Kristen with Rhena's feet on the door so Robert would not break into the room at night.  Well, that worked until Kristen became ill and Rhena felling sorry for Kristen, told Robert to stay in the room to comfort Kristen.  Also Steksin felt sorry for Rob and Kristen having to work while in Hawaii and sent them off to play while the family did the work.  Next when little Joel Winter came along he had to join the family for the Disney World trip.  Robert could not go, as he had just started Medical School.  So Kristen and one and one-half month old Joel where off for a Disney World trip.  Probably not the smartest, but I know Joel was having the time of his young life.  Most of the pictures has Joel smiling.  Grandpa, Joel and now Charlotte have shared a few Disney trips together.
Kristina and Family:  My earliest memories in travel with Kristina, Robert, Aubrey, and Bradly was a trip we took to the Oregon coast.  Sue and I had just bought our first big family car - a Toyota Van.  We bought a tent that hooked onto the side of the van.  So off we went.  We would travel during the day and at night stop at a camp ground and hook up the tent to the van.  Sue and I would sleep in the Van and the kids would sleep in the tent.  At the time I thought we where world class travelers, but looking at the pictures it looked like the kids where always dressed in clothes that did not always seem to fit and where on their second or third go around.  A car or two later I remember a trip to see Uncle Dave and Church history in Ill. and Missouri.  We traveled by way of South Dakota.  I remember being in a driving rain storm, pulling the tent trailer, getting lost, and not even seeing the famous Mount Rushmore.  I remember our first Colvin reunion in Midway Utah and Kristina and all of her cousin and second cousins connecting and having a great time.  Later in life, Kristina was going away to school in Rexburg, Idaho.  I remember the driving to and from Rexberg.  We talked of school, the gospel, boys, and other things.  After Josh and Kristi got married and Liezl came along, they soon where on their way to medical school in Washington, DC.  I remember our trips to visit them.  One of my favorites was the time I was traveling to a compounding meeting and we went to Sesame Street World.  I remember that Liezl and Quincy where not very big but it seem we all went to a water park and we all rode the big water slides.  Speaking of Water parks, I can not think about Kristina and not remember our first trip to Disney World.  Kristina was a world class small boat driver.  It seems that her little sprit kind of went around in circles.  Also I wanted to have the kids experience the thrill of snorkling.  So at the one water park we went to the salt water area with the small rays.  I remember Kristina not being able to stand up because she was afraid to step on a ray.
Comming Aubrey, Bradly, Milley, Whit, and Emma