As you notice my background still says Merry Christmas.... That is because I don't deserve to have it changed yet. One of my daughters usually sees that it needs changed and does it without my even asking (last time it was Erin) but I went through the whole season and never blogged even once!!! So it showed Thanksgiving all thru the Christmas season!!! So here is Christmas!!!.... but wait first is Dave's birthday November 18.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE
I took Dave on an all day Seattle City tour! We started at Pikes Place Market where we found a handmade journal as a birthday gift and we ate a goodie (breakfast) at a wonderful quaint bakery. Then we went on a wonderful tour at the Seattle aquarium (That is where Janice and Matt volunteer dive but this wasn't their day darn it.). Later we went on a boat trip out in the bay to see the cityscape and hear all about Seattle. After that we had a fish and chips lunch out on the Pier at Ivars Acres of Clams.
Next we went up in the Space Needle and enjoyed the cityscape from above! Afterwards in the City center science museum we saw "A Christmas Carol " in 3D at the IMAX theater! We loved it so much... It started our Christmas season for us. After another trip up the Space Needle for a night cityscape view we headed home.
Of course on the way we had to stop at Applebees for Dave's favorite dessert... Chocolate Volcano birthday cake!!!
CHRISTMAS!!
We had a wonderful Christmas this year. Janice and Matt and Matts mother came and spent the night. It was so fun to have people here on Christmas morning.
I didn't do good with taking pictures but Sheri and Joel and the kids also came over to open presents and enjoy the day with us.
After opening presents we all went over to Dorell and Stephanie's house for a Christmas breakfast they plan for the whole family. We had a fun relaxing day. We invited everyone and the missionaries to dinner that evening. Yep it was a good day.
Lee and Trisha coming!
We knew we had company coming but didn't worry about having enough room. Janice proved that we had plenty of space for everyone to have their own private rooms if they want.
Who needs leg room anyway? That is way over rated. She had a little too much fun with Seth and Ellie's toys I think!
Lee and Tricia left SLC at 4 in the morning and got here in the afternoon the day after Christmas. They probably think we were staying up nights thinking of jobes they could do!!!
Mom and Pops got new flooring from Jack and Deloers for Christmas and we were all excited to have the experts put it in. Tricia was in charge and was so good at figuring it all out.
Dave cut where he was told...
Mom kept a close eye on things and OOHed and AAHed and loved what she had picked out. I don't have a finished picture but it looks so good and washes up so nice and doesn't have any holes to drive us crazy. It totally changed the look even though you can't tell in the picture.
The kids and Randy and Lisa's kids all love Grandma Wrights bed and on demand cartoons! They had a ball together!
We took a little time out to do a bit of sight seeing. They went to Darrington and also we went on a ferry ride to Friday Harbor. But mostly they WORKED!!!
Lee had to show his kids what logging was all about so he and Randy cut a couple of trees down for us. It was work but Lee was having fun anyway.
We appreciated it so much. They cut the trees down and sawed them up so the could be split into firewood.
The kids helped fill the shed with firewood plus fill and stack wood in the barn.
As the guys were falling the trees they had a good audience.
This is the best place to be.... watching where it is warm! After tackling the trees the guys started a new project. Remember the problems we had with the septic system in the downstairs bathroom? Well they set out to remedy that! Right by the house Randy and Lee dug the dirt and moved huge rocks and finally found the old sewer pipe. Lee and Dave worked for a couple of days uncovering it and digging a big hole and putting in a pump to pump the sewer stuff up to the other big septic tank. Lee had to go home but didn't leave until he had the new pump in and ready to just add the pipes.
Dave decided to add another rock that was in the pasture to the rock wall by the new pump. It was so heavy it is a wonder he didn't break the tailgate.
Here he is leaning against the new rock by the pump talking to Lee on the phone. It is all ready to be buried and was at that point already working perfectly.
Since this picture was taken he brought in new topsoil and made it look so good! I'll take a final picture of all the finished projects for a new blog.
Here is where he hooked the new system to the old one. We had the old one cleaned out so it is all just like new!!! Whew!!! Okay company you can come and you can now FLUSH TO YOUR HEARTS CONTENT!!!
Grandma Dickson was so excited for her 90th birthday party. We invited so many people and knew so many were planning to come. The night before she couldn't hardly go to sleep. She looked radiant all night as you will see in these pictures!
3 of moms sisters came to support her. (Ron and Alice Brownell, Bessie Zeller, and Cathern Harston) Others are planning to come to the April Conference party.
Aunt Bessie flew in from Lovell Wyoming and spent a week with us. Mom was so happy and we had a lot of fun with her! Aunt Alice and Aunt Cathern came up from Enumclaw and spent the whole day on Saturday so there would be time to visit before the party.
The real surprise was my little brother Roy and his wife Karen. They didn't tell anyone they were coming and just drove in from Orem Utah the day of the party. It was so cool and couldn't have been a nicer birthday gift for mom.
Now I am just going to put in a lot of random pictures from the party of family and friends. This is Ron Reid from our ward.
The tables all had 3 primroses on a mirror and 3 pictures frames with old pictures of grandma. It actually looked a lot cooler than you could tell in the picture.
Uncle Roy made the geneology chart that everyone loved!
We all had family tables. This one is moms.
Roys family
Doris' table
Jack and Delores' family did a fun slide show that re-played over and over all evening. It was really nice.
Meledie and her niece Samantha (who is here from Rexburg helping Meledie recover from her car accident) helped by taking pictures. They and Dave and Aunt Bessie took all the photos.
We had relatives and friends come from all over. This is my cousin Ruth Karlinsey and her daughter-in-law from Tacoma talking to Roy.
Uncle Ron and Aunt Alice with Dave and I.
These next 2 photos show the real heros of the party. Janice and Sherilyn are so amazing! They did the decorating and worrying. I sat down with them one day to help plan and they already had so many wonderful ideas. They worked so hard I owe them and their husbands big time!!! Because of them it all turned out so perfect.
Lynns table
Vivs Table
The food table was so cool. There were all kinds of cakes, nut cups, candy and punch for people to choose from.
Gina and her kids drove from Stansbury Park, Utah to be there. Mom and Pops felt bad that after all that traveling they didn't hardly have time to visit. There were so many people! It was so fun to have Gina, Andrea, Jenny and Emily all come together.
Pops was so happy to have such a nice party for mom. It is just what he hoped for.
So many cousins! This is Terry Baird and Ann talking to Andrea.
Grandson in-laws
My cousin Lyle and Anna Brownell (are putting in their mission papers!) & Aunt Cathern.
More relatives!
Mitch and Jane Zeller with Aunt Bessie amd Ann Bairds grandaughter Madison.
It was a great party! I'm so blessed to get to spend this time with our parents. They are the best.
