treasures

i found fun photos from several years ago and wanted to share.  love you guys!

Happy Anniversary, Rachel!

So it only took me 4 years to finally make our wedding album :).  Thanks for the wonderful 4 years.  It's been a fun start for our adventure ahead.  I love you!

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from Andersen family

Uncle Bill...or Uncle Bob as Emma endearingly nick named him was willing to listen and great for some needed one on one attention. Emma treasured going to her first Utah Flash Basketball game with him with her library pass.

Jacob and Ben loved the ski pointers and encouragement...after watching him go off for skiing they finally got to go with dad and Bill.

Joseph loved our Pirate Island outing with Uncle Bill a first and last time. Uncle Bill helped mommy have courage to go play even though dad was staying late at school. Yummy pizza and fun surroundings. Lucy hated the man dressed as a pirate and to be fair he did seem very drunk and played his part fabulously. She hid behind Uncle Bill while he laughed but also comforted her and then held her.

Eating lunch at the BYU Creamery his patience and sweetness as he was covered with little Lucy lovin’...gentle kisses included. Lucy, being young and rather light, loved to climb up for hugs on the couch at the table...during departures.

We will never forget the unplanned meeting at Bishop’s Landing? I don’t remember a few miles down from Half Moon Bay he said he would be along the coast wind surfing so one day during our visit so we drove down highway 1? and looked for his Subaru...beach three we found what we thought was him. I was yelling and waving ...it was a buddy of his and another person standing near redirected us. What fun to have our own windsurfing demo on a gorgeous day. A few great photos.

His fun cars Boxter, R8 ...but also how he protected them...and saved them. Not showy in his attire and didn’t waste. Just had great taste when it came to wheels.

We loved visiting Masma together at Pilgrim Haven and then later Jamestown. He learned and shared with us the importance of just being. Not trying to do or accomplish just being there was important and showing love when opportunities came.

Dj and I remember a fun evening in Los Altos at Aldos, a little Italian place where Bill helped us spend a gift certificate we had. A great evening of connecting and culinary yumminess.

Bill was always great for a heart to heart conversation and seeing things truthfully. He also helped me to release my death grip of worry a little bit as a mom. Our Joseph is an active dare devil type as he comes flying down the hill above our house on the shaking scooter and go crashing into our yard...I would cringe I still do. But I try to close my eyes and remember when Bill would say about my apprehension of my boys doing crazy stunts “Yep, they’ll probably get hurt...and?” Yeah...I guess they can deal with it. And then we would reason out together... “They’ll probably learn something from it and probably live through it.” Bill is honest with his wonderings and hopes and plans.

Uncle Bob...thank you for your fun and accepting heart, for your ideas and example of adventure for your love! Gratefully, Julia and the Andersen clan

From Jenna

I don't feel like I have time right now to write all my thoughts so this may be a post in progress.

What a treat to spend time with Uncle Bill over the years. The summer I lived with Masma and Paspa I remember him coming by their house and mentioning he had just purchased the new Porsche Boxer! We were standing in the kitchen, and I was so excited to see the car I headed straight for the door. "Oh, I don't have the car. I paid my money to get on the waiting list. I'll get the car in (6 or 10 months)." I don't remember how long. Wow, I had never heard of buying a spot on a waiting list for a car. Pretty cool.

In the last few years we've been able to coax Uncle Bill out here to ski a couple of times. I don't believe he had a laptop on his first visit and although I think he did on the second visit, I don't remember seeing it out much. This is very atypical behavior for a McAllister visiting. He'd sit on the stool in the kitchen with his back leaning against the wall and just chat all evening with all of us. I'm sure he observed some crazy things from our family. He'd made verbal observations like "he's seeing how far he can go." "He's testing the waters." He had some other accurate one liners. He talked about how in life there things we can control and things we can't and to make the best of it. He often pitched in to sweep the floor or help clean up after dinner. On his ski days we rarely saw him, since we do have the "best snow on earth."

In 2010, Uncle Bill was here during the winter Olympics. We don't have cable and at that time we didn't have the converter box for digital stations. Uncle Bill offered to go to Radio Shack and pick one up so we could all watch the games. He did. When he returned we realized we also needed a new antenae to make the box work so Bill patiently returned to Radio Shack to buy some. I'm not the best hostess. It was very nice to watch the Olympics all together and he told us of several events that his boys had done that we were watching on TV.

It was awesome to have Uncle Bill and Uncle Peter at the family reunion. They were so patient with us, and I enjoyed the times to visit.

We tried to send Uncle Bill some cards and keep in touch in the last couple of years and instead of writing back (which he didn't need to do), he would call us every now and then. As my family knows, I'm not very good about picking up the phone myself to keep in touch, so him taking the time to call us meant a lot.

When I heard Uncle Bill had passed away, I thought of how wonderful the reunion with his parents and loved ones was that day. Uncle Bill endured a lot, especially in the last 6 months of his life and Joey and Nathan, Patty, and Dad were so good to him it just gave my heart peace. I'm sure there were others who eased his load. Thank you, thank you.

Love you Uncle Bill!

(sent a few weeks ago)
May 15th, 2011



Dear Uncle Bill:


You are a good man. We have not had the opportunity to live close, but I’ve always enjoyed connecting with you over the years. I remember early on you taking me and Scott for a ride around Masma’s and Paspa’s in your Jeep. I think I remember because we didn’t wear seat belts for some reason... it was just a ride around the block. I remember visiting you in San Jose and you having your long red old surf board that I think we used at a family reunion once or twice. I remember the time you and Joey and Nathan came to Pajaro Dunes. That was probably one of the best memories I had as a kid with our families. I remember visiting the grandparents and always having a chance to see you while I was in town. I really enjoyed going out to dinner when I was in SJC for business a few years ago.... that was the visit that really turned me on to sashimi salmon.. yum. It was great being able to have you and Peter at the family reunion in Utah. That was a ton of kids, but a good time. It was a good trip to Tahoe and the California coast to scatter Masma’s ashes. It was great to see my cousins. I was so glad I could make the trip down to Joey’s wedding. That was a great weekend and really nice to be with you guys and Dad.

You’ve taught me to try and take things as the come and focus on those things you can control. You have been a good example about enjoying all the fun outdoor activities of life, which I too enjoy. Someday I may try wind surfing... at the moment my wife would kill me if I brought home another “toy”. I don’t think I have the body strength, but I’m sure it’s an awesome work out.

Bill, know that you are loved. I have a very real belief that life does not end after death. I personally have the image in my mind that once the curtains of this life are closed and the life hear after opened, we will be surprised how familiar everything is. I believe we continue to learn and progress. I think about those people who we have loved that have passed on before being their waiting for us.

If you pass before me, I expect you to be waiting there for me and I’ll do the same for you.

Your are a great man with a lasting legacy.

Love you Uncle Bill.

a few Uncle Bill memories

My freshman year of high school I had the chance to stay a few days with Uncle Bill.  I don't recall why, but I know it was my freshman year because I was wearing my molded back brace.  I remember enjoying the cool breeze and freezing water at Coyote Point while watching Uncle Bill windsurf.  I remember sitting in the front seat of his white Porsche Boxter wizzing down the highway at dusk and being amazed as big airplanes landed directly over head.  I remember going mini golfing with his girlfiend.  Uncle Bill was always very easy to talk to and enjoyable to be around.  I'm glad I have these one on one memories, as well as those while he was hanging with the fam... like at our reunion in 2009 (pictured below).  Thanks Uncle Bill.  Love you and miss you.
- Geoff 

 

 

 

 

McEaster

We took James to Maxey Park Saturday afternoon to play with Easter eggs and the ducks.  We had a fun time.