Family is what life is about...

Establishing a home where children are welcomed, loved and nurtured, is so important and hopefully inspires them to start families of their own. Reunions and other special occasions, holidays and just ordinary days give us the opportunity to reach out to each other with hugs and support in our individual journeys. Families are needed. I've enjoyed reconnecting with various families from my past this summer. My first family I joined when I married into the Hatches, then visiting my hubby's Floyd family on the Oregon coast and after that attending a funeral of a beloved cousin Keith Renstrom who joined our Johnson family when he married my cousin Jody back in 1966. He was 97 and had lived a good long life.

Three lovely daughters l-r Alicia, Katherine and Sarah with their dad Allen

Sarah the organizer and hubby Chuck taking a selfie

Visitor looking lonely

Lots of mouths to feed and excellent food cooked by the daughters

Grand kids galore but some missing oldest daughter Deborah's family

Lots of game playing and puzzle making as well as beach activities

Cooks in action: Katherine and Sarah

Role playing games enthralled all ages

Adrianne enjoys a new book of fairy tales to read

Sarah's daughter Karrah enjoys Aunt Katherine reading to her

Step grandmother Lin reads to Karrah while her sister Annalise listens.

There's a smile from the patriarch Allen with Sarah and tasty burritos

Captive audience enjoys lots of family slides from the good old days.

Showing off his dad's Distinguishing Flying Cross