...Family Photos...

Bill & Joni at Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, 2007

I love this photo, snapped it at Castle Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, one of the oldest geysers in the world, look at the spectacular colors in the foreground! 2007

Not surprisingly, we were the only people at Niagara Falls on this day...it was at 15 degrees...but we were coming through the area and had never been there before. It was gorgeous...'01 (Bill and Craig Adam)

I still call it Home! Bear Valley, California. Unforgettable!

Craig Adam snorkeling in Cozumel Mexico...snorkeling was nice, but we had to get back to Texas to find cheap Mexican souvenirs! '02

My husband Bill, with our friend Rosie and our son Craig Adam feeding the Iguanas at the Iguana Farm in Roatan, Honduras. Apparently they are becoming scarce in the wild from over hunting...the locals say they taste like chicken! '04

Setting up for the "Jet Preview" Show...ummm, guess we'll leave whenever they want to...

A Gorgeous Luna Moth spotted outside the shop one night, apparently quite rare in Texas...reflective from the camera flash.

Adam and cousin Cameron, after "Ghost Shrimp" on the Texas gulf coast...

Our "Water Bug..." This one makes me laugh every time I look at it!

Cameron and Adam, checking how deep the sand is...Texas

  Cameron, looking at the scenery from another angle.

Nephew Eric, enjoying "Slide Rock" on the Stanislaus river, near Bear Valley. '03

My brother Don, just being himself...Yes, he is jumping a creek on a snowmobile.

Some old ones...1968...Bear Valley, Ca. that's me, Joni, in the front with all my siblings.

Joni at Lake Alpine, Ca.

Meanwhile...at the drinking fountain...(Adam)

Fresh Water crocodiles at the Belize Zoo...beautiful country, but bring your bug spray! '04

Bear Trap Basin, near Bear Valley, Ca...we used to hike here in the summer, and ski or snowmobile in during the winter.

It never rains in the Virgin islands! We got soaked, but the cruise was wonderful...Holland America, Zaandam, highly recommended! '03 (Rosie, Bill and Adam)

Holland America cruise at Half Moon Cay, I thought this was a perfect shot of the boat from shore...the only day it didn't rain on our cruise! '03

My nephew Eric, I offered him 5 bucks if he could put his leg over his shoulder! Easy money...!

We got a kick out of this sign, "Celebrating Freedom"...No coolers, No pets, No packs, No bicycles, No weapons, No alcohol, No smoking, all vehicles, pedestrians and personal items subject to search...(Brother in law Pierre, and nephew Eric)

Got your sunglasses? Bill with Gary Osborn in Port Aransas, Texas. Texas beach attire...

Big Bend National Park, on the Rio Grande, Tx.

        Mono Lake, Ca. Like nowhere else on earth- you've got to see it!

Pretty Cool...came across fresh cougar tracks in the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge, Ca...nice size kitty!

To the Right...California Condor #95, spotted at the Grand Canyon, May 12, 07...What a sighting! Thanks "Big Lar" for sharing the photo! 

Grizzly! Denali Nat'l Park , Alaska. Incredible Journey! Nobody should miss visiting Alaska!

Feeding the Elk in Alaska (Craig Adam)

Success!

Checking out the Dinosaur Tracks, Tx.

        Mono Lake, Ca. Like nowhere else on earth- you've got to see it!

Lake Tahoe, California. Inarguably, the Sierra Nevada's have some of the prettiest  scenery in the Country!

Saguaro Cactus Nat'l Monument, NM.

Sedona Red Rocks, at Oak Creek Crossing, Arizona. 

My precious niece Brooke with Adam, she refused to wear a dress for the photo, so...this is what we got!

Our Craig Adam and a friend at "Discovery Cove", Florida. A super place to visit!

It's a Texas thing y'all ! 

Spring in Texas...the Best part of the Year....

What a sight! The Space Shuttle ready for launch, Kennedy Space Center, Fl.

Front yard flowers at our place in Arizona...don't know what type of cactus, but these were spectacular, about 9 inches across!

Craig Adam at Lake Tahoe area. " Life Is Grand! " 

Our story...So often people ask "How did you meet?"...

Bill and I met in late 1991, just before Christmas. Our parents both had Galleries on "El Paseo" in Palm Desert, just blocks apart. We were new to the area and although I had met his parents, aunts, uncles, and siblings through the gallery over a period of several weeks, I had not met Bill...Apparently his Mom thought he needed to meet me, and mentioned it to him, but he had no interest in going to see some girl his Mom approved of! After all, in his mind he had already chosen the girl he would marry, even though it was someone he had never met, that he only saw from a distance at a car show!

One day it finally happened, his mother needed to drop off an item at our Gallery, and he was dragged along...

Honestly, when I met him, I never gave a thought that we might date...he was young (we're 4 1/2 years apart, he was 20 and I 25 when we met), he was so shy and quiet, and had a habit of wearing "car" t-shirts...I don't like t-shirts! (But, I guess if that's the only fault you can find in a man, that's not too bad!)

I was the front window display in that gallery, sculpting in the front window, visiting with people, it was great....But then I found Bill was there constantly it seemed, he would just show up and stay for hours...much to my dismay, I couldn't leave, and he wouldn't!. He was just too nice, so I couldn't tell him to go away....But then I started to see something there, in this sweet man that would spend hours to be with me.

It wasn't too long before we had our first date, and from that day we were inseparable, one month after our first date I asked him to Marry Me!...When you know it's right, it's just right...no fears, nothing to change, just perfect.

The interesting twist...Months earlier I had traveled to the Palm springs area with my parents, long before we opened the gallery...we stopped for a quick dinner and there was a "car show" out in the parking area, so my parents and I wandered through the show for a bit before we got back on the road.

While we were dating, he told me he had seen me months earlier...which seemed improbable, since I had never lived there before. And he told me about going to a "car show", where he had seen this girl...Guess some things are just meant to be.

I am blessed every day to have this man in my life, we are celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year. We have one wonderful son, Adam, who turned 18 in August.

A lot has changed in our lives, he is no longer shy and quiet...

           He no longer wears t-shirts,

                       and hey, there are advantages to having a younger man!

      And he's really, really good at putting up with me!