HaPpY 81sT. bIrThDaY tO mY fAvOrItE dArLiNg MoM!

We just got back from the Happiest Place on Earth!

No, not Disneyland

(but we got to go there too.)

We got to go to Grandma's

and join in a surprise 81st. birthday party for her!

Perhaps you'd like to see some photos

of her throughout her life.

This is she and her older brother.

She had red hair and lots of freckles.

This is she and the same brother

before he went off to war.

I'm still wondering who's she with here

and where did she get that 2-piece swimsuit!???

How about a few glamour shots?

Here's one on Mom and Dad's wedding day at the Manti Temple.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

We certainly think the world of YOU!

She is the most wonderful woman that I know.

(I hope someday to become just like her!)

P.S. 'Want to see some more pictures from L.A.?

We were lucky enough to go to the Los Angeles Temple to do some baptisms.

Here's a before.

And here's two afters:
Also, Disneyland was fun (thanks to Mom!)

Here's Splash Mountain.
(Note N8's excitement for the ride.)

Big Thunder Mountain's always great!

The Autopia is a must.

Everyone needs a quick visit to It's a Small World

and the Enchanted Tiki Room.

The Haunted House is far too scary!

Indiana Jones is my current favorite!

Stay tuned next week for....

Return From YW Camp

and

Chels turns 14!

SkoOl'S oWt 4 SoMeR!

I don't know about you, but...

I LOVE summer vacation!

School just let out today.

As a celebration to summer, here are some

old first day of school pics.

That's Chels on the 1st. day of 1st. grade.

(Isn't she the cutest, little thing? That dress was so

big--or she was so small--that she was able to wear it on the 1st. day of school

all the way up to the 4th. grade.)

Here's N8 with Mrs. Boyd, his kindengarten teacher.

Here's N8 on the 1st. day of 3rd. grade

and

Chels on the 1st. day of 4th.

They're in front of their old alma mater here.

(N8's ready for 4th. and Chels' ready for 5th.)

N8's a 5th. grader here,

while Chels is a big 6th. grader

(and queen of the school!)

Here's Chels waiting for the bus on her 1st. day of CCJHS ,

and N8 on his 1st. day of 6th. grade.

(Hey, have you ever seen their "Here Comes the Bus" Dance???)

Ready for his 1st. day of 7th. this school year,

(and Mom was in Phoenix with a new grandbaby),

so Chels took this photo and....

N8 took this one of Chels ready for her

1st. day of 8th. grade.

'Just one last pic from this May--

Chels played the music for the 7th. grade Honor Society Induction.

N8 was inducted.

Good kids!

Yea summer!!!!!

Oh WhAt A dAy

So, you know N8 had a gr8 bday, but....

what was the highlight of the day?????

Was it the many women wishing him a happy 12th.????

Was it the yummy cake???

Was it his presents?

Was it his new kitty, "Otis Schankmeyer"?

Well...those events were all really great,

but the highlight of his day was...

being ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood,

being worthy to enter the temple,

and doing baptisms.

Congratulations, N8!

(We are proud of YoU!)

YoU'vE hAd A bIrThDaY--sHoUt HuRrAy!

N8's turning the BIG 12 on Saturday

We're all pretty excited, because on that day,

he will be ordained to the Priesthood, and

we'll then go to the Reno Temple to do baptisms.

In his honor, here are a few photos of him.

Our ward had a fashion show. Chelsie modeled a Cinderella gown--

of course she needed a "Prince Charming".

Here he is brushing away--good boy, N8!

(Too bad he was using Chelsie's toothbrush.)

And here he is, ready for Church (along with his sister).

This shot is from the St. Louis Arch.

(Have you been there?)

How about a picture at Carthage, IL?

A future missionary!

Here's his ABC School Class--recognize anyone?

(Hmm, N8's on the left, then there's Ashley DeLong,

I think that's Sarah Evans, Marie Wadsworth,

Mary Ann Wadsworth, and Joseph Jamieson.)

N8's at Fayette, NY here.

Here's his first piano recital.
(He's just shy of 5.)

This might be at Smith Creek.

Okay, we need a skiing shot.

In the TraveLodge in SLC during
General Conference time

N8's at Smith Creek helping his dad with the vaccinations.

(He was great with the hot shot.)

When Bishop McMullin stayed at our home

Boogy-Boarding in Kauai

at a Family Reunion

On the front porch with his Halloween

pumpkin

8-years-old and ready for baptism!

50's Day at West End School

Buried by his niece and nephews at Lake Tahoe

And...playing the organ at Church.

We're proud of you, N8,

(and we surely LOVE you!)

WhAt WoUlD mOtHeR's DaY bE wItHoUt...

CuTe KiDs????

Think about it...we wouldn't be mothers without them.
They certainly brighten our lives,
and keep us on our toes!

Here are some of my favorites.

Can you tell who is who?

This is a dead giveaway, if you've seen his children.

This little guy is going to be a father in July.

Okay, no challenge here. She's our only daughter.

This one will keep you hopping with his antics.


Who knew that this one would work at a nuclear power plant?

What--6???


No, this one is the father of them all.

HaPpY mOtHeR's DaY, eVeRyOnE.

(I hope that your day was marvelous!)

P.S. 'Get a load of these luscious strawberries! Thanks, Der & Marie--we are all in heaven!

P.S.S. Just in case you didn't know, that was Brandon, Darren, Chels, N8, Jared, and Craig.

How'd you do?????????????

ThE aMaZiNg CcJhS bAnD rOaD tRiP

Well, we went on a road trip with the band.

We traveled 309 miles to Milpitas High School.

Here's N8 with the Jazz Band.

You can listen to him here.

Here's Chels with her not-too-happy Dad.

Mom lost his cell phone on the Log Ride.

(He actually went back and found it about two hours later. It was swimming in the log. It is not doing well.)

Mom and Chels met up with Shaggy and Scoob.

It rained off and on all day.
Somehow, we still went on all of the "wet" rides.

N8 liked all of the jolting, upside-down

rides.

But, I think that this was everyone's favorite ride.

It was fun to be "with the band".