What an interesting 2005. It slipped away so quickly. Family members have really been on the road this year. Travel was in the air as Lee and Linda traveled to Telluride to visit old friends. Linda also visited her new nephew in Washington with her sister Kathy and Neil. Her mom is doing well in San Clemente. They continue to be active in their church, surfing and, of course, Linda is the best at tennis. She is enjoying her activities with Curves. Lee and Linda are continuing their general contracting business. Lee is an elder at their church, Granddaughter Dena and hubby Sean are living in San Clemente. Dena is working for So. Coast Hospital one day a week, taking classes at University California at Fullerton to complete her Masters in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Midwifery license. She interns 12 hours a week and is delivering babies at Kaiser Hospital. Her project for her Master’s in Nursing recently was published in the Journal of School Nursing. It was so exciting seeing her name in print. Nathan is delivering automobiles for a wholesaler, enjoys surfing, and snowboarding, with a trip to Utah. He is having the good life with friends.
The Stamos’ are all doing well. They spent Thanksgiving together at daughter Natalie’s work where she made the entire Thanksgiving dinner for people who had no where to go for Thanksgiving. She hopes to buy her own home soon. Nick is getting into welding and will be going back to school to be certified. He repairs large trucks and tractors and he loves it. Adam has started a new entertainment company with a friend and is designing the posters and postcards needed to promote concerts. He is an awesome 3D designer. Dana hopes to use him when he’s available to help in her design business. Dana is still enjoying martial arts and her USADOJO.COM website is the largest martial arts web site on the internet today. Her graphic and web design business is doing well and she loves what she does. She has a lovely home with studio intact. Tom is selling insurance and, as usual, he is very good at it. Everyone is happy and healthy. When mom Joyce was named “Woman of the Year” by California Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, Dana drove to attend the festivities in Sacramento. She also traveled to New Orleans with her business.
Lots of fun community events this year for Chris and Mary, with the top of the list being Fourth of July weekend festivities, which Mary helped plan. A group of local artists invited the owners of Art Cars (cars which have been turned into art projects) from around North America , to Ashland to participate in Ashland’s parade. Fun was planned for the whole weekend,’ over-the-top’ every minute! You had to be there, although they do have a few revealing photos…. On a more serious note, Mary left her University job to once again problem solve for Health Net as a Consultant. Her hope is for a more flexible schedule to take advantage of her new art studio. Chris just finished renovating two more apartments in Gold Beach. Closing the door on this project allows him to focus more energy on contracted riparian restoration work in the Grants Pass Oregon area. More importantly he will have more time to spend with Mary, as the months away over the last two years renovating on the Coast has proved more than a little challenging. The couple looks forward to family and friends stopping in to check out the wonderful Southern Oregon area.
J & J did a good deal of traveling this year with a trip to visit family in Indiana, Nevada and Oregon. They also traveled to the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation events in Akron, Ohio, West Virginia, Orlando, Florida and Washington, D.C. Joyce was very happy to be reappointed by President Bush for more six years. Joyce and Jim enjoyed visiting the Oval Office in October and the receptions and previewing of Air Force One at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. They visited with many friends from the Reagan and Bush White House. They visited Lake Diamond reservoir in December.
Joyce has served on the Republican Women’s boards for the California, So. Division, Orange Co. and her local Laguna Niguel club. She continues exercise classes 5 days a week and plays tennis tho she hasn’t beat Linda yet! Jim continues working with Lee, designing and planning remodel homes in South Orange County. Jim takes very good care of his Japanese garden. He truly enjoys playing golf two days a week and broke 80 twice; however, loves Laguna Niguel too much to go on the road.
Jim and Joyce also enjoyed their visit to Indianapolis and Franklin, Indiana to visit sister Lorene and Lowell, and their terrific family. Sister LaVern had knee replacement and is doing fine. LaVern and her daughter Cheryl spent Thanksgiving vacation with Joyce and Jim. Niece Vicki and family are enjoying a new home in La Quinta, and their 2nd grandchild Kendall was born Dec. 7th. Niece Shelly and family are living in their lovely new home in Texas. Niece Waneen and hubby Jon sold their home in Virginia and are building a home in Washington state. Waneen, Jon, Cheryl, nephew Kent’s wife Jan and daughter Melissa, and niece Ronda surprised Waneen’s daughter, Sarah, the lead singer on their cruise line and traveled to the Caribbean. Nephew Steve, from Northern California, his daughter Jessica and son Jarrett joined the family to celebrate Thanksgiving and Jim and Joyce’s 56th anniversary in November.
