1987: 1st year house anniversary. Only four children
Each year in October, on the anniversary of the day we moved into our home, we take photographs of our family on the steps and just the children in front of our tree. Jill’s idea was to build up a collection of photographs to look back on.
1990: 4th year house anniversary. Daniel born in 1989
On this the 25th house anniversary year, we collected as many of the photographs as we could find and display here one for each year. Some are temporarily misplaced, so there are gaps in the record. However, we expect to find the missing years eventually.
1991: 5th year house anniversary
On the first house anniversary, Jill wrote:
We had a birthday party celebrating the day we moved into our home. Sarah brought the puzzle home from church so we put it together. Steven made the decorations. We all gave a present to the house by picking up all the garbage scattered around outside. Then we took some family pictures on the front porch. Inside we sang “Happy Birthday Dear Home” and celebrated with cake and ice cream.
1993: 7th year house anniversary. Using our tree as a backdrop
1987 Journal entry:
Monday 26th October 1987
We had a very fine FHE — the 1st birthday of our home. We even had a cake with one candle for refreshments. We took 2 photos of the family outside the house. The actual birthday is the 15th of October. Jill did the lesson — seems like Jill and I at one time were hard-pressed to come up with a lesson and didn’t like to do it. Now we both don’t like to give up our turn because we see it as a chance to teach the children something that we’re anxious for them to learn. We still have family prayers and read books to them. They like that.
1995: 9th year house anniversary. Sunday best
1996: 10th year house anniversary. Utah Centennial
1997: 11th year house anniversary
1998: 12th year house anniversary. Steven made his first million
1999: 13th year house anniversary. Cousins Connor and Ashley join in
2000: 14th year house anniversary. Five millennials for the new millenium
2001: 15th year anniversary. First year using a digital camera
2002: 16th year house anniversary. Steven is on his mission in Chile
2003: 17th year anniversary. Steven on his mission
2004: 18th year house anniversary. Steven returns. Paul on his mission in California
2005: 19th year anniversary. Paul on his mission. Derek, Sarah’s husband, center
2006: 20th year house anniversary. Paul returns. Jake on his mission in Mexico
2007: 21st year house anniversary. Jake on his mission
2008: 22nd year house anniversary. Jake returns. Adelaide, Steven’s wife, far left. First grandchild, Bryson
2009: 23rd year anniversary. Daniel on his mission in Mongolia. First granddaughter, Aurora. Sarah’s family in Texas
2010: 24th year house anniversary. Daniel on his mission. Second granddaughter, Cassandra. Jake engaged to Rachel. Sarah’s family returns
2011: 25th year house anniversary. Daniel returns. Paul engaged to Megan
2012: 26th year house anniversary. Second grandson, Jameson. Just prior to trick-or-treating.
Updates
Added 2012 photograph.
What a great tradition and way to watch your family grow up, along with the tree. :)
Cool to see how everyone changed from year to year. . . oh and Happy Birthday!!!!
It was fun rounding up the photographs. We have a few missing years to find. How is the weather?