Blast From The Past and Present

The Wedding Cake for Cati & Marc

Debbie & Judi Naas (Garcia)
These sisters did not look anything alike as kids.
Now they both look like each other and their mom, Dorothy.

I am becoming a very sentimental person as I get older. The longer I live the more important people from my past, especially my childhood and youth mean to me. The minute I saw our good friends Judi and Joel yesterday my heart was just bursting with a special joy and my eyes brimming with a tear or two. We had the privilege of attending their daughter, Kati's wedding celebration.

Judi was my first best friend when our family moved to Concord when I was in 8th grade, and that's 49 years ago now. We were pretty much inseparable until we were both married and living in different places. We use to talk about when we would get married and have kids and how we'd always get together for backyard BBQs and the kids would play and love each other too. We shared all those very special girl times wondering what we would do when we grew up, wondering when prince charming would sweep us off our feet, all the fun of high school~our deepest secrets, the whole bit!

Her Prince Charming~and charming he is~Joel!

Those kind of friendships come so naturally when you are young, I wonder why that is? Possibly because they know you, they know your parents, they know that place from where you have come like newer friends never really can. Perhaps it is that you get to know each other when you are young and idealistic and life hasn't worked you over so hard yet? You have your whole life ahead of you, you are filled with hope and the sky's the limit. I am not sure why, I just know it is something special.

I knew her whole family well and she knew mine. The Naas family always cut down and trimmed the most beautiful Christmas tree in the land. I have been influenced by the feeling that tall, full, beautifully-adorned tree gave me all my life. They always had lots of friends over and lots of fancy dinner parties. This impressed me and made me want to do the same when I grew up. I loved how they would sit around the table and have big discussions about everything while sipping from elegant stemware. I think the Naas family introduced the "To Do" list to the world~they were always so busy and had so many things on their calendar. I remember thinking that my family was pretty boring by comparison!  Did we even have any stemware?  

One time I went to UC Santa Barbara where Judi was going to school and spend several days with her in her dorm~it was so much fun. We did sorority things, built a float, shopped in Golita, and listened to the Brazil 66 album over and over.  I spent a lot of time pining over missing Jim and she had just met Joel. He was such an awesome and handsome guy then as he is now. He was so centered, so gentle, so eloquent. We had a lot of great times together in those days. Life has taken us on our own paths and our kids didn't really see each other too much as they grew up, but I know that I still love this family very much.

Judi was my maid of honor and I was hers. Theirs was the only wedding I was ever in besides ours. I think I remember their wedding better than I do ours! We danced our legs off to their Mariachi Band and had a wonderful time. I'll have to dig out some of the pictures from their wedding too.

Judi is on the right! Weren't we just so cute?
Yikes, the cat glasses and the big bows and
the bright lemon yellow!
So stylish at the time! Honest!
Judi's sister, Debbie, made the veils
for my bridesmaids.

Forty years ago this was in the paper.
To enlarge and read the article Double Click
on this photo. This was written
by my grandmother, Alice Colberg Yeasley,
after Jim and I were married.
Both Judi and Deb are mentioned.

Here we are now~me, Deb & Judi

Still getting better, not just older!

Here I am with Larry, the best man at their
wedding 38 years ago.
Even though we walked down the aisle together-
Sadly, I don't remember him. How weird is that?
I enjoyed meeting him again yesterday!

We do so love these two
and now for the wedding and
their beautiful family!

Their two gorgeous daughters, Susi, Kati,
and their new son, Marc.


Their two handsome sons~Mario and Andres
They both remind me of Judi's dad, Norman Naas.


Judi with her youngest, Susi.
She looks a lot like Judi in her youth.


Judi and her daughter-in -law, Candida,
mother of Che and Antonio

Their cute grandsons, Che (10) and Antonio (6)
They belong to Mario and Candida

Che doing a little rap about the Raiders and the
Steelers for the entertainment of all.

The tradition continues with a Mariache Band
just like Mom & Dad's Wedding

My favorite part of any reception~
the daddy/daughter dance.
Dancing to "My Girl"

Kati and Marc~love the bubbles 

and their new beginning!

Kati and Mario~A little brotherly advice?

This event is something I would not have wanted to miss for the world. Jim and I love the Garcias so much and are planning to get together with them very soon...not for a wedding or a funeral...just because! Life is too short to not do so! Stay close to your good friends always!