Lake Tahoe Reunion 1998 Addendum

Ma, Pa, four offspring (Kim absent)

Grandma and granddaughters Megan and Courtney

The hot tub

Russell and Susan Blood family

The deck where everyone hung out

The Story of our Family Reunions: Lake Tahoe 1998

Nielson family

The dangerous Old Navy Gang

Jim and Sharman Blood outfit

Jim returns hammer stolen many years earlier with engraved message "Twasn't my fault."  Whatever!

Ron and Lani Blood daughters

The Story of our Family Reunions: Park City and Orem, 1996

The Story of our Family Reunions: Mission Bay in San Diego 1994

We go to the San Diego Zoo

The Surf Rider

Grandkids

At the Beach

The Story of our Family Reunions: Poudre River in Colorado 1992

Five Blood Offspring with Ma and Pa

Grandchildren

Watching the Rabbit

Poudre River

Cousins

Yeehaw Caleb's Here!

We introduced Caleb to the Austin music scene last night at Shady Grove....

...and to yummy Tex-Mex at Chuy's

Happy Reunion with Elder Jakey!

And then they were off for a day of missionary work!

The Neighborhood Arctic Circle

The source of our nightly milk shakes from Grandma (in our dreams)

The Story of Our Family Reunions: Star Valley 1990

Amanda is coming to see me

Grandchildren

Why are there so many babies?

Defending the Fort

Blood brothers and sisters

Nielson Ladies

Jake's birthday, part 2

Whitney says we must post this funny photo of Jake blowing out his candles!!! Very cute. We made he and his companion perform for us and you'll be happy to know he hasn't lost his touch.

Volney Black at the Controls of Engine 8444

Volney Black, Velna's father, was a long time railroad engineer on the Union Pacific Railroad, for many years on the giant coal-burning steam locomotives on freight trains, and after the diesels were introduced in 1957, he was an engineer on the UP passenger streamliners for the remainder of his career.  Velna will write more about her dad's career as a locomotive engineer.

Cousins

Melanie, Monica, Kate, Whitney 1995 in Orem

It's Time to Make the D and V Blog into a Real Family Blog

While reading the Brooks and Lorraine Wasden family blog, linked on the right, I had a magnificent revelation.  Brooks Wasden was the brother of my mother, Minnie Wasden, and the Wasden offspring were first cousins of the six Bloods.  I liked the idea that the Wasden blog was including short biographical sketches of family members, telling stuff like who, what, where, when, and to what extent.  Therefore, I think it is high time we started getting a little action on the D & V blog with input from our nearly three dozen family members, including all great-grandchildren, no matter how young.  Therefore, my request is that each of you descendants write up a little piece about yourselves, your family, where you live, where you went to school, and whatever else.  We won't need them all at once, but we don't want them scattered over the next ten years, either; I'd like to be around to read them after all.  So I'll be looking forward to the first post from any family member.  Doing this is not an option.

Eva Amanda Gribble

The picture that was posted previously was taken in 1958 in front of our first "new home" in Fort Collins, Colorado. Grandma Hyde would have been 78, my mother, Pearl, was 55, I was 25, Russ was 5 and Ron was 2. My sister Beth was 10. This post is about my grandmother, Eva Amanda Gribble who was born in Mt. Pleasant, Utah on June 22, (birthday anniversary tomorrow) 1880. Her parents were Joseph Smith Gribble and Phoebe Jane Reynolds. She grew up in Mt. Pleasant and met her future husband on the first day of school. They felt they were meant for each other and 12 years later, on Oct. 10, 1898, she married Frank Edmond Sanders in Centerfield, UT. They were later married and sealed to their children in the Logan Temple. Eva's father, Joseph Smith Gribble had been born in Nauvoo, Ill in 1845, but he later had a falling out with the church and so Eva was one of the only members of her family who was active in the church. I'll write more about Joseph Smith Gribble and Phoebe Jane Reynolds at a later time. Frank and Eva's first home was in Gunnison, Utah where their first daughter, Valeria was born. She died at 20 months and is buried in Gunnison. In February, 1901, a second daughter, Ethel, was born and later that year they left Gunnison, with a party of relatives to make their home in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming. Frank had gone ahead while Eva and other family members waited in Diamondville, WY. When they finally got the word to come, they left for the Big Horns. In her own words she said "We were on the road 23 days from Diamondville when our horses gave out, our money gave out and we were still 40 miles from Meeteetse, Wy. We were all waiting for the horses to rest when we saw a rider coming on horseback. We were so glad, anyway we could ask him for help and how far it was to the next town. When he got closer, we could see it was Pap (Frank). He had a sack of flour and a little sack of sugar on his horse - he had come about 80 miles to meet us. He had been told we were getting hungry from some one from on high - no one else knew it." It was a new country and it was hard to scratch out a meager living. My mother, Pearl Viviette, was born in Otto on February 24, 1903. She was very close to her sister, Ethel, being only 2 years and 9 days apart. Pearl was devistated when Ethel passed away from the flu epidemic on Dec. 28, 1917. Through the years, Frank worked as a store-keeper, blacksmith, sheep-shearer, farmer and helped to build many miles of railroads and canals. Nine more children were born to Eva and Frank and they were happiest when the children were gathered around them by the fireplace singing songs together. In August, 1923, the family moved to Marysville, ID to make their home. A year and a half later, Frank died from a heart ailment at the age of 47, leaving his wife with 7 children at home. She was left in dire circumstances, but many good friends, relatives and neighbors came to her aid. She married Frank Odell in 1926 and they had one daughter. After 19 years of marriage, they were divorced and in 1945 she married William Hyde. He died six years later. She passed away on August 22,1959 in Ashton, Idaho, at the age of 79.
We didn't see Grandma Hyde very often, as she lived in Idaho and we were in Wyoming. My mother never lived in Idaho with the rest of the family, as she and Volney were married shortly after her family left Otto. Grandma came to Laramie in August, 1958 and lived there with Volney and Pearl until Feb., 1959. She really wasn't happy in Laramie and longed to be back in Idaho where most of the rest of her children and grandchildren were living. Her visit to our home in Ft. Collins was a rare occasion and I was glad to spend some time with her there.

Velna Black at 14 Years Old

Three Generations

Russell Blood, son of Dwight Blood, Russell Blood, father of Dwight Blood, and Dwight Blood; Fort Collins CO 1988

Velna with her Mother and Grandma Hyde

This photo is a rare picture that shows Velna, her mother Pearl Black, and Pearl's mother Eva Hyde, who would be great-grandmother to the five children of Dwight and Velna Blood.  Velna can add a few details about her life, since I am sure that none of you know anything about this ancestor.

Father's Day 2008

Russell posing in a lawyerly manner

Stacey's kids murdering Steven

Stacey and David

Lori and Chad Mayfield

My favorite father's day card.  My offspring were so enamored by their feelings that I would enjoy this card that I received two of them, one for upstairs and one for downstairs.  The multitude came for father's day dinner, and unfortunately I don't have photos of everyone, but here is what I do have.  Shirts, books, gift certificates, flowers, phone calls, cards, all made a memorable day.  Now I don't have to reflect on things I wish I had done better or different as a father for another year, like correct political orientation of my offspring.  The only downer was the Lakers barely slopping out a minimal win over the Celtics so everyone gets to go back to Boston again.  Nothing to be proud of for the bearded one and the used-to-be MVP and now marginal bit player.

More Happy Father's Day

What a handsome dude! I echo Carolyn's comments. Thanks for being a great dad and grandpa. Your own kids are beyond hope at this point, but there are yet many precious tidbits that you still need to teach your grandchildren. For example, do they fully appreciate 'Name that Tune'? Do they know the art of how to appropriately give instruction to the news and sports casters while watching them on t.v.? Do they understand the proper way to speak to other drivers on the road, especially if the other drivers can't hear you? So much to tell. We love you tons. JSJCKN and Allie