More Friends and Fam at the 50th

I'm a bit too lazy right now to write anything particularly creative, but thought I'd put up some more pics from Mom and Pop's Surprise Golden Anniversary Party. Gary sent me pics from our Fishin' Mission boys, so I still need to put those up, but the majority here are ones I took of friends at the party. Names are all left to right.

Kim Yost, her dad Don Newsome, husband Roger, and stepmom, Jenny. Went to high school with Kim ... and so did Roger, but that's another story. Jenny is very, very special to me, as her first husband, John, was my Little League coach and he passed away when I was 12. They were like second parents to me, and their sons, like brothers. I just love 'em all -- even the step-Newsomes!
Jeff and Arleen Mills. Arleen and I grew up together, and we have some crazy stories. I have vague memories of bonfires, sagebrush, and beer in high school ... She is the one who made the body-licious cakes for the party. She and Jeff own Hays Street Cafe in B-port -- best breakfast around! It's become tradition to eat with family and friends there on my last morning before leaving.
Big brother Bill, Shirley and Myron Schlaegel. The Schlaegels are also very special to me, and I have great memories of growing up with their daughters and son and spending tons of time with them camping as well as spending Christmas Eve together. Shirley is one tough cookie, as she has just finished her last chemo for pancreatic cancer (I think that's the type of cancer) -- and she's cancer-free!!!
Big Steve and Kathy surfing at the party. Kathy works with Missy at the bank and along with two other co-worker friends, Roxanne and Jan, helped us with food by bringing big salads that were dee-licious!
Dad and friend of just under 50 years, Willard. Will and wife Joanne are also like parents to me, as our families grew up together. Dad and Will went on the CHP together before I was born, and even though we only lived in the same city -- Ventura -- until I was 2, we almost annually spent family vacations with them. Bill, Jim, and I also lived with them when we each first started college. They lived very near Ventura College, so we all started our college careers there. They have six kids -- five girls and a boy -- and the youngest, Sara, and the boy (well, man), Don, also came to the party. Very, very cool, and very special to Mom and Pop. Will and Joanne came all the way from Fruita, Colorado.
Can't forget the Missionaries! Toni, me, and Gary. Two other Fishin' Mission boys joined us -- Carm and Jim, but somehow we failed to get a pic of all four of them. Duh.
Joanne and Mom ... longtime friends reunited. Joanne and Willard wrote me an e-mail after the party, and while they said they really enjoyed the party, they said their favorite part of the trip was spending the next evening having dinner with just my parents at Mom and Dad's house. Pretty sweet.

And the fam just as the sun was setting right after Bill, Jim, and I gave the toast.
Jim, Lacey, Missy (and, yes, their clothes match ... Jim swears it'll be the ONLY time he'll allow this), Mom, Dad, Abbey, me, Cathy, Alyssa, Bill, and Emma.

50 years of "Happily Ever After," and counting.