Famreyn News From 2018 'till Today...

Famreyn News 2024--

January--Began this new year with Jason, Bekah, and kids (JBJJZAB). Got to hear and see Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at their concert at Musco, Chapman University, Orange, CA and spent a few hours at Six Flags, Magic Mountain the next day. 

February--My first time at a Shen Yun performance began the month. First time at the World Ag Expo on Valentine's Day. Got to help Kristen buy a car and Deb helped me with the Reynolds Family at Ancestry.com.

March--Started meeting with friends on Friday nights at Monet's in Exeter, that's been a good addition. Bible study at Dewitt's on Monday nights and basketball practice & games Tuesdays and Saturdays.

12th--went to Fresno: Pacific Southwest Building visit in preparation for Emily and Elena's upcoming union ceremony in April, Horn Shop and new-to-me flute and french horn, lunch with Ken & Mary Royer, visit to Whole Foods,  and stop at Svensk Butik in Kingsburg.

Margie Rouge and I have been friends since college, co-directed the Christian Sailing Club, and decided to attend Robert F. Kennedy's VP reveal in Oakland, CA on the 26th; good event. While in the area, we made a couple of ventures into San Francisco via BART.

April--Em and Elena committed their lives to each other on Thursday, April 5th; beautiful!!! Following Em and Elena's wedding, Andie was going to join Kim Bott for the eclipse; unfortunately, Andie got sick and was unable to go:-( End of the month, I got to join JBJJZAB at San Simeon for a camping adventure. 

May--Margie hadn't been back to Avalon on Catalina Island since we took cruises there in the 70's. So, early in May, we boarded the Navigator of the Seas for a venture from San Pedro to Avalon and Ensenada; good times! Mid-month, I joined Bekah and the grandkids at the Porterville Fair. Tim, Deb, Caleb, and Arlene Blycker joined me the following week for a couple of days and the Confluence California '24 Conference (SR @ 3:43) at Hume Lake followed that weekend. End of the month--new tires for the Corolla. Swim practice for Jaina, Jacen, and Zane happened this month, too.

June--2nd, 3rd, and 4th, a quick trip to the OC to be with Deb and family as we remembered Greg's homegoing a year ago. Father's Day celebrations with family--Kristen & Nicholas, JBJJZAB, and Andie (Thanks, all!)  Swim meets this month along with Jaina and Jacen's 13th birthday celebration. I began trying to let neighbors know about our candidate-option for president, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 

July--Holiday celebration at Deb, Heather and Bree's on the 4th along with dinner and fireworks-watching at the Steffenhagen's. Kristen and Nicholas joined me the week following and brought Ein and the Edison. Andie is with her family in Canada, and Ein is with me 'till early August. Time trials and finals in swimming for Jacen and Zane happened early in July along with a celebration for Zane's 11th birthday. Andie's work took her to Canada for a month, so Ein joined me. Mid-month, I drove to Roseville to experience Union Pacific's 4014 "Big Boy".

August--2nd--Occasional Brass of Strathmore got to play with students from Strathmore Middle School. 10th--took Ein back to Andie, had lunch, then drove to Orange County to be with Deb, Heather, Nick, Kristen, and Nicholas. Fit in a visit to Magic Mountain, too. 23rd--Back to Orange County for the Pacific Symphony performing John Williams Harry Potter music (video) and time with Deb, Heather, Nick, Kristen, Nicholas, and Elias. And two visits to Magic Mountain; gotta use my membership!!!

September--1st--Andie and Ein joined me for a Labor Day Weekend visit--Monet's, JBJJZAB, food-prep, PVC & drip systems, home videos, family photo sorting, Orange Works, & sharing.  September 11th, I left for a 3-week venture to the Pacific Northwest. Got to spend time with Tim Park, Judith Blase, Vanessa Ness, Sam and Gloria Humble, Em and Elena Reynolds, and Margie Rouge and family. 

October--Returned home from the NW venture on October 2nd. Caught up a bit, then headed for Orange County--lunch with Judy and Gary Jones on the 11th, Disneyland w/ JBJJZAB on the 12 & 13th, family time & walking on the 14th, 15th--touring Orange and joined Deb, Heather, and Nick in Panorama Heights. Kristen and I had her birthday dinner on the 16th, and I returned home on the 17th. Halloween--celebrated dad's 108th birthday, all in Heaven since 1999, joined Margie online as we handed out candy, then went to Occasional Brass rehearsal.

November--Steve's PCO surgery on the 4th & 11th. Election on the 5th. From September 'till 14 November, Andie had been trying to get a health procedure done and it happened on the 14th; she's continuing to heal & recover...thank You, Jesus! Jaina, Annabeth, Andie, and Steve saw the movie Wicked, Part 1 on the 24th and celebrated Thanksgiving at JBJJZAB's.

December--Andie and Ein returned home on the 1st. Occasional Brass of Strathmore has gigs on the 7th, 12th, and 19th.

Famreyn News 2023--

--January: Finished a venture to the OC with Greg and Deb. Weekly every month--good times with JBJJZ & AB, including Finders Seekers and Mario Kart. Continuing to teach students at Porterville Adult School. 

--February: Rain...rain...rain...

--March: Cataract surgery; nice to see clearly again:-) 17th--drove to Paso and did a tasting at Le Cuvier with Deb and Greg; it was my last time with Greg in person. Skin biopsies.

--April: Annabeth's 5th birthday and party at Chuck E. Cheese, Andie and Ein visited, parties, & ventures. Started the solar process with Tom Reed. 

--May: Woodlake for EAA's Young Eagles day, VR training at PC, students finishing up/graduating and end-of-year events at PAS, Jason's birthday, ventures, graduations @ PAS along with packing my things to vacate Room 104.

--June/probably the hardest month in my life: 2nd--Steve's retirement party at Porterville Adult School, 3rd--First day of retirement and Greg's homegoing, 21st--Celebration of Life for Greg, 22nd--remembering Greg at Disneyland, 26th--new fence at 1075 Brandy Way. First blue light skin therapy treatment with Dr. Crowly in Bakersfield.

--July: 1st--birthday swim party for Jaina, Jacen and Zane, 2nd--birthday celebration for Emily at Tokyo Garden in Visalia, 4th at Jonelle and Mike's, 8th--swim time trials in Fowler and a visit to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, getting accounts in order and adjusting to retirement, 28th--Andie's birthday and Greg's first in Heaven, 30th--began fellowshipping at Exeter Valley Church. 

--August: 1st--Ein came to visit, 9th--attacked by wasp, & Tim joins me (college roomate and long, long-time friends), 11th--drove to Springville, Yokohl Valley, ate at Monet's in Exeter, and visited w/ Jason/Bekah and kids,  13th--we took Ein back to Andie, then Tim and I visited Magic Mountain, Solvang, Cambria, &  San Simeon, 16-17th--more visiting--Sequoia and places in Porterville, including dinner at El Tap with Jason, Bekah, Jacen, Jaina, Zane and AnnaBeth, 22nd--Bakersfield: Hodel's for brunch, then blue-light skin therapy with Dr. Jeff Crowly, 27th--Jaina's baptism. 

--September: Labor Day party at Deb, Heather & Bree's in North Tustin/Panorama Heights (Kristen and Andie were able join the party; nice), 6th--Bekah's birthday celebration at Tokyo Garden in Visalia, 14th--Tom & Armando began solar installation, 19-22--Bekah and I celebrated our birthdays at Disneyland with Jason, Jaina, Jacen, Zane, and AnnaBeth (thanks for taking me with you for this trip and the Labor Day party; Andie joined us for 1 day at Disneyland.

--October: 2nd--Isidro and team trim my back yard; beautiful! 13th--tax paperwork filed for 2022, 19th at night--pack of dogs run on to the road between Lindsay and Strathmore; I was able to stear around all but one, 

--November: Emily and Elena got engaged! Margie visits, Andie visits, Family Thanksgiving celebration at Mike and Jonelle George's.

--December: Merry Christmas...

Famreyn News 2022--

* School

* Information below plus quick family

update here; click for pics and information:

--Jason, Bekah, Jaina, Jacen, Zane and

Annabeth moved from Visalia, CA to

Strathmore, CA

---Emily and Elena live in Olympia, WA

---Andie lives in Marina del Rey

---Kristen and Nick live in Normal, IL

--Steve has an Instagram, too:-) Got to

spend time in Maui with Deb and Greg.

Greg joined me in Porterville for his birthday

in July. 

* Lots of learning with health and school!

Famreyn News 2021--

* Ocular shingles

* Online teaching(?)

* Andie graduates from Fresno Pacific University

* Romance...PC in Pismo Beach:-)

* Introduced to The Chosen

* Dr. Larriann Torrez--new director at Porterville Adult School

* Andie moves to Marina del Rey, CA; she and Elias are now divorced:-(

* Kristen graduates with her M.A. from Chapman University. She and Nick move to Normal, IL

* Heartbreak:-(

Famreyn News 2020-

* Winter--today is January 1, 2020! Got to spend Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve with Jason, Bekah, and grandkids; nice! Here's a quick family update:

--Jason, Bekah, Jacen, Jaina, Zane, & Annabeth live in Visalia. Jason is working as an agronomist /management with Booth Ranches and Bekah is schooling the kids @ home.

--Emily still lives in Coupeville, WA; she is now working for Island Transit and the shuttle. She has a new friend in her life!

--Andie, Elias, Clementine, and Einstein live in Long Beach, CA. Elias is teaching digital media to middle school students @ Bethune Middle School, Andie is a nanny and is working on her B.A. in Early Childhood Education.

--Kristen lives in Orange, CA; she is in her senior year of music studies @ Chapman University! 

* Spring--Things changed for all of us in March! After our Spring Break, school happened online. Elias, Andie, Einstein and Clementine joined me on the 16th. We had a good time together for almost 2 months!

--Drive-through graduation for Porterville Adult School happened on Monday, June 1, 2020. I had 19 students graduate!

--Kristen had a virtual online grad ceremony; the school hopes to have a live one in August. 

--Highlights: Camping on the King's River, playhouse-building, 

* Summer--

* Fall--Andie & Elias separate--he continues in L.A. and Andie moves to Porterville, CA

* Winter--

Famreyn News 2019

--Winter: Said goodbye to Toby.

--Spring: Found out PEC will be shutting

down on May 31st.

--Summer: After 20+ years, cleaning out

my room @ PEC, hiking at SEKI, swim meets w/ Jacen & Jaina. 

--Summer/Fall--began teaching the Adult Secondary Education Class at Porterville Adult School. 

--Winter--Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations! Andie and Elias went to Seattle, WA on Christmas day, so I've had Einstein from then 'till January 3rd. Kristen and Cindy went to New Oreans.

Famreyn News 2018 * Click

--Spring: Joined Deb and Greg @ Murphys. CA. Good time together and we planned our summer trip to Ireland.

--Summer: Ireland & WA

--Fall/Winter: teaching @ Prospect Education Center (PEC) and news the school is moving to join Butterfield Charter School.