Tayler's 3rd Birthday---May 2, 2010

3 YEAR OLD BIRTHDAY GIRL

Soupie, Brandt, Carlee and Soupie's mom, Gayla did a great job with Tayler's birthday party. Family members were invited to this big event. Everyone pitched in with the food.

The party was at the club house.

Soupie and Brandt

The gift table
Tayler was so excited to open up her presents. She got a lot of nice things

The Strong cousins, Dresden, Collin, Sydney and Logan

Tayler was so excited to get the Zhu Zhu pets from Nana and Papa

She was most excited about her new bike /Carlee's helping her with it

There she goes!

She had a puppy dog face cake

Great job blowing out the candles

The Princess Castle Pinata, right before it met it's fate

Tayler loved hitting the Pinata

It is about to explode! LOTS of candy for all the cousins

Everyone for him/herself!

DRESDEN'S BAPTISM & CONFIRMATION---May 1, 2010

Before the baptism/Dresden and Larry

Dresden and his friend Spencer were baptised in our Stake center (our ward house). Dresden's family participated in the first half of the program and Spencer's family conducted the last half. Grandma Bertha gave a wonderful opening prayer, Aunt Natalie played a beautiful rendition of the First Prayer and Nana Donna gave the talk on baptism. Spencer's Uncles performed the baptism and gave the talk on the Holy Ghost(being confirmed). Then Spencer and his brothers and sisters sang a song and Samantha(his sister & one of my favorite Y.W) gave the closing prayer. I could feel the spirit there and was very proud of Dresden and Spencer.

The family gathering after the baptism and confirmation

The children's table/Logan at the head, Collin hidden behind Dresden to the right, Tayler in the white sweater and pink dress

Bertha talking to our friends, Laura and Marilyn Carlee, Soupie, Tayler and Brandt Jay and Natalie Sydney and CollinThe perfect desert, Shannon did a great job! Check out the round cake balls!The stars are made of chocolateGrandma B.J. giving Dresden his present/Dresden thanking herAunt Kenda showing Dresden how to use the baptism book she gave himJohn and I gave Dresden some children's books of the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, but when he saw that he also got a Club Penguin card he was elated! A big hug from Dresden to me, I loved it!Getting ready for family pictures/I loved watching Grandpa De helping Dresden with his tie Goofing off before the picturesFamily Picture/ Logan was still goofing offMother & Son/Shannon and LoganMother & Son/ Shannon and DresdenCONGRATULATIONS DRESDEN

GLAD WE ARE DONE!----------April 30th

THE OLD HOME

We were glad that we had our old home available for Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ellen. They moved in while Grandpa was recovering from his fall. Now that they are back home we considered selling the home, but there was a lady in the old ward that needed a place, so we decided to rent to her. Before John's parents moved in we worked hard to paint the bedrooms and kitchen. The cupboards were so ugly, so they were painted also, we cleaned and wiped down the walls etc. Grandpa and Grandma enjoyed staying in the home for six months, they really appreciated being close to family while Grandpa re-cooperated. After they moved out and we decided to rent the home again John also decided that it was time to get rid of the old stove (36-37 years old). In order to put a new stove in we had to pull out the bottom cupboards. The old stove was a drop in and an ugly gold color. We tried to paint it white to match the other appliances, it was okay, but just not what we felt was needed for our new renter. As you can see the work turned out to be more frustrating and time consuming than we thought it would be. We had about ten days to get it ready. As our son-in-law would say "Aint nothin ever easy". We also pulled the paneling down in the master bedroom, and painted the wall. That was a nightmare because of the glue on the wall. It would have been easier to just put up new sheet rock and put in new cupboards, but alas we finished on time (the day before our renter moved in). She is loving the home and we are so happy that she is enjoying it. Thank you to our wonderful children for helping us. We love you!

Don't ever put back old cupboards, they are never the same!

When putting in the new counter we discovered uneven walls

John deserves a metal for endurance after this project! The old kitchen never looked so good!

We even put in a new sink!

SAVANNAH'S KINDERGARTEN PLAY------April 2010

DOWN ON THE FARM

We didn't get to see Savy's play in person, but it was so much fun seeing it on her mom and dads blog that I had to add it to my blog. It looks like the kids did a great job. Savy I bet you were the prettiest farmer their.

SAVANNAH WAS A FARM GIRL

THE KINDERGARTEN PLAY

SAVANNAH DOING THE CHICKEN DANCE

Wish we could have been there!

SYDNEY'S BIG DAY April 2010

PRINCIPAL'S PRIDE DAY

Natalie invited me to Sydney's Principal Pride day. Sydney was the most consistant with her spelling, recieving 100% throughout the year.

SYDNEY WITH HER AWARD

THE PRINCIPAL AND HER PRIDE STUDENTS
THE FAMILY HONORING SYDNEY
COLLIN ALSO WAS A 100% SPELLER

CONGRATS TO BOTH OF THEM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOGAN..........April 18th

PAUL REVERE'S RIDE

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth (18) of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
who remembers that famous day and year.........

The first paragraph of Wadsworth's poem starts to tell us of the history behind April 18th, it's a long poem, but well worth reading.

Logan will eventually learn about this famous ride on April 18th in school, and I'm sure he will be proud that he shares his birthday with this famous date and person.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17TH

Logan's Pirate Birthday party included pizza, cake, presents and pirate treasures for all of his friends

I love the cake Shannon made
Shannon explaining rules to one of the games

Logan opening up one of his presents

SUNDAY, APRIL 18TH

Family party at the Curtis', Grandpa De, Dresden, Larry and Logan

Uncle Brandt, Aunt Soupie and Carlee

Logan got plenty of money to put in his treasure chest

Aunt Natalie and Sydney

Grandma BJ, Shannon, Tayler, Jay and Collin

It was a perfect day, visiting with everyone and enjoying Logan's 6th Birthday

THE GREAT EXODUS! ..... April 9th & 10th

EXODUS TO EPHRAIM

We are very happy that Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ellen have been able to return home to Ephraim. They stayed in our old home for six months. We are especially happy because six months ago we really didn't know if Grandpa would be healthy enough to return home. Miracles happen and he has been given a second chance, we know he is very grateful and so are we.

Grandpa Bill was chomping at the bit to get home this last month and Grandma Ellen was dragging her feet. There were a lot of old friends to say goodbye to (whom they became reacquainted with while they were up here) and Grandma also had other things she wanted to do before leaving. Grandpa wanted to leave for Ephraim the first of April, but we couldn't move their furniture back until the following week because of other commitments. They left a few days before we came with the furniture. All the family members helped us load up the trailer with Grandpa and Grandma's furniture Friday night, and Brandt and Soupie went with John and I to Ephraim Saturday morning to unload the furniture.

GRANDPA WAITING IMPATIENTLY IN THE CAR FOR GRANDMA

Thursday, April 8th

GRANDMA COMING OUT OF THE HOUSE AFTER CHECKING EVERYTHING

WE WILL MISS THEM!

WE THINK GRANDPA IS VERY HAPPY NOW THAT HE IS HOME

CUTE PICTURE OF THEM!

picture was taken at Christmas time when they lived here