Witten Sisters Retreat

My sisters and I are all very close. We love any excuse to get away together for a few days. Birthdays, bridal showers for our daughters, or the time we found $59. flights to New York. A few weeks ago we took a little cruise to Ensanada for my Sister Cathy's 50th Birthday. What makes them so fun is that my dad comes along. We had a carefree weekend of shopping, eating and just relaxing.

The Ship is full of photo booths..so of course we had to take adventage of them!

While we shopped and shopped and shopped...my dad and Ruth, who is pregnant, found all the benches around the city. They were good sports!



To help burn off the calories we were consuming, they have a great gym that looks over the water. We also spent a lot of time playing cards...one of our favorite things to do when we are all together.

Another photo booth...you got love that soft focus!

We are already thinking of an excuse to get away next year...my brother Steve is turning 50 and my sister Jennie is turning 40 so, we were thinking maybe next year we will bring the husbands. This is all the Witten sisters, our sister in law, Tania and mom & Dad. We are only missing Drew's wife Sheri...she will need to plan to join us next year!

Honeymoon with a Killer

Back in January 1997, I photographed the wedding of Rebecca & Bruce Cleland. In July 1997...just 7 months later Bruce was killed in an 'attempted car jacking'.

When I heard he had died I knew that Rebecca was involved. (You will need to read the book to find out how I knew)

After calling the police, helping in obtaining a search warrant and her arrest, testifying at her first trail and then again at a 2nd trial (after she had a successful appeal) the book is now available for sale next week.

Everyone I told this amazing story too said the same thing. You should write a book. Well I was interview for a book... one from a true crime novelist, Don Lasseter. He had written over a dozen true crime books. After meeting him for the first interview, I read a few of his books. He is a great writer.

I met with him today because he wanted to give me a couple of copies of this book. I had to laugh when I saw my picture and description in the book.

Wedding Photographer and
"Mormon Mom"??? How funny!

And then again in the Foreword it says "A superior court judge familiar with the facts declared,"This should be a movie or a book. It's got everything-the love triangle,the murder angle, a stripper boyfriend, the gay girlfriend, sister against sister, the innocent Mormon-mom wedding photographer... because we know all good movies and good books include an innocent Mormon-mom : )

Witten Family Vacations

I love traditions and one of my favorites is the annual Witten family camping trip. I grew up going camping . Some of my most special child hood memories our those vacations. We camped in Yellow Stone, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and rode trips to visit relatives in Idaho. We would go to San Felipe Mexico every spring break with several other families.

My parent were pretty brave ( or just crazy)...they even took a rode trip from Southern California to Kentucky with 4 kids under the age of 6.

Over the last 30 years those family trips have continued as our family of 10 has grown to 53! Being the designated family photographer, I have some pretty fun photos of all those camping trips....Here some pictures of our vacations through the years. Some of the dates might be off by a year.

The Witten Sisters with Mom and Joey Yosemite 1982
(don't you think Ruth looks a little bit like Max?)

Charles Ruthy & Jennie in Yosemite 1982
Ruthy has a fear of crabs
(A big one had chased her the year before in San Felipe)
She was upset because she was afraid
the Merced River in Yosemite had Crabs too

Yosemite...again 1983 Heather is about 6 weeks old

The Lamb family Yosemite 1990

Yosemite...the year of the thunder storms & big fire 1991

Witten Grandsons showing off their mucsles!

The Witten grandchildren the Grand Canyon 1995

Yosemite 1996
If you haven't figured it out by now...Yosemite is our favorite place!

The Witten Girls Big Sur...Where's Tania?

Grandma & Grandpa Witten with the Grand Kids same trip tp Big Sur
Thats James & Calab crying

Beach House Oxnard 2000?
We went to a corn maze....it was pretty fun!

Santa Monica Pier....We rented 2 big beach houses that year 2005

2009 Sodona Arizona July 4th
48 of us came!
We were sad that Steve & Tania had to leave early...

Next Year...Idaho...See all there!

30 Years ago...

30 years ago Charles was called to serve in the Austria Vienna, Croatian speaking Mission.

He went into the MTC August 16th 1979 where he found out that he would actually be serving in Yugoslavia. The entire country only had 16 missionaries serving in it. It was a Communist Country at that time. It was not your typical mission because it was illegal to proselyte. The Church was trying to get legal status as an organized Religion.

Well, 30 years later on May 24th 2009 Croatia dedicated the first Mormon Church. Thanks to my MasterCard Flier miles I was able to send Charles to attend with this special occasion with one of his old missionary companions. It was very exciting trip.

All I asked from him was nice pictures...with him in a few of them. When he served 30 years ago he took the most amazing pictures around 100 of them...but he only in about 12 of them. Well he kept his promise...

This is the new Church. It has 2 stories. Charles said the meeting was amazing. He said it was wonderful to see all the families there.Charles standing in front of the church with 2 of his former missionary companions, Jamie Lyon & Doug Short. The tall guy in the middle was a Landlord of the missionaries, Ivica Valek, he joined the Church a few years after Charles' mission. And Ankica Ostrachevich. Her little family were some of the first members in the country.

27 Wonderful Years!

Yes...I am old...enough to be married 27 years.

I met Charles in the summer of 1977. I was 14 years old and Charles was 17. We met at Church Youth Conference. It was being held at a new university in Irvine. UCI. On the first day we had these name badges that encouraged us to introduce ourselves to each other. I was sitting in my dorm room when this cute boy was walking by...perfect time to use my name badge. Three days later he went home with my badge with my phone number written on the back.

Someone took our picture. Look how cute he is!

My first impression was he was much too old for me, I mean he shaved and everything. After nine months of him trying to win me over to the idea of dating an older man...he asked me to his Prom. I was still in Jr High so this was huge! Because I was now 15 1/2 and we would be going with a big group my parents agreed to let me go.
That's when it all began.

After Charles served a mission in Austria & Yugoslavia and 10 months after I graduated from High School...

We were Married on a beautiful day on April 3, 1982 Now 27 years , 4 children, 2 sons-in-law and beautiful Granddaughter later...I couldn't be happier.

Thank you Charles for being my best friend

and partner in life. I am looking forward to the next 27 years~

The Big Lamb Family

I love my Big Families! Maybe that's because I am one of 8 children and Charles is the oldest of 7 Children.

The Lamb Family was all together for my nephew Sean's missionary farewell.
He is going to Japan for 2 years. It's pretty exciting because
that is where his dad, Scott, went. Here we are! The entire Lamb Family...all 44 of us!
Having fun. This is such an amazing family
and I am blessed to be a part of it...
it's even more fun that my little sister, Jennie
married Charles' little brother, Dave
Here are all the grandchildren, including 2 grandsons-in-laws
and one great grandchild with Grandma & Grandpa Lamb...
who will be celebrating 50 years of marriage this year

Witten Family Christmas!

More Christmas Traditions!Every year the Witten family gets together to celebrate Christmas, usually the weekend after New Years. With 8 Witten children & their spouses, 30 grandchildren, a few of their spouses and 6 great grandchildren that is a huge group. It is so much fun getting together.

This year we celebrated at Terri and Jim's new beautiful home in Northern California. They have a home big enough to hold us all. It was so much fun! We spent the first day having our Christmas party and talent show.My Dad starts the show each year by giving us a Witten family update. This year I had him announce my news...I was called to serve as the President of the Relief Society a few days earlier. I have been so busy, that's why it has taken me so long to post the 2nd Christmas post.Some of my favorite acts this year... Sheri and her kids singing, Terri's boys rocking out on their new electric guitars and my very favorite...
Ollie showing us 5 different ways to hold a pupGrandma has been busy making Yo Gabba Gabba hats, ponchos and quilts. She is so talented. Wendy in her cute gift from her great grandma... a Foofa poncho
The next day we went to San Fransisco and had a blast! Shopping, riding the street cars, eating clam chowder in a bread bowl...yum! It was cold!
We are waiting in line for the Street car and having fun just being together.


The last day we went to Yosemite. We ice skated in an awesome out door rink and played in the snow. Yosemite is so pretty in the Winter

I vote for going to Terri & Jim's every year!

Christmas with the Lambs!

I love Traditions! Every Christmas evening is spent with the entire Lamb Family.

Dave and Jennie drive their family from Las Vegas so the entire family is together
...all 47 of us!

We start with a delicious dinner...yum!

Then comes the Family talent show. Each family shares a talent. I took these photos...hopefully someone took a picture of my family acting out the nativity with Baby Wendy playing the role of the baby Jesus (Too Cute!)
Scott, Marilyn & Kids sang Santa Baby with
Dylan & Makenzie on the guitar and Sean on the Piano

Jennie, Dave and kids sang a song about how it doesn't snow in Las Vegas with Jacob & Gracie doing a little dance during the chorus...
How funny that it did snow in Vegas a few days earlier.
Steve, Angie & kids sang a Hana Montana Christmas song
with a little help from Harrison

The Blackburn kids wrote a tribute song to their parents that was AMAZING!!
We can't wait until the newest Blackburn, Sophie, joins the singing group!

The finale was Chrissy, Brandon and boys! Harrison was great on his horn
and Frankie showing how BIG he was!

Presents are opened with a wrapping paper throwing fight to follow

Grandma & Grandpa gives PJ's each year to the grandchildren.

We are all happy that Scott & Marilyn host this party each year in their home...
and for adding on 500 square feet to their home this year so we can all fit!

The fun continues the next day with a Lamb family trip to Knott's Berry Farm!

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!