Thursday

I went to work for a 1/2 day and then hurried home to make some homemade bread and get dinner going.  Tucker, Neal and the girls were home so the girls go a piece of dough to shape as they wished.  They all shaped their initial and I braided mine. 

Jamie was meeting Tiffany for lunch and then they ended up coming back to the house so the kids could swim.  I had dinner going and we invited Tiff and her two children to join us for dinner.  It was fun to see her and see how much the kids had grown.

After Tiff left and the kitchen was cleaned up, we got out Mahjong and played until 12:30.  It was Tucker’s night to win.  I think he won six rounds and was East Wind for at least four of them.  I might add that he did go dirty twice!  Very annoying to say the least!

More fun times on Wednesday

Tucker, Jeff  and Ryan went out to the shooting range and had a great time testing out Jeff’s guns.  Tucker also went golfing with his dad.  I went to work and Jamie visited with friends.

Lexi surprised me with some fun creative craft to hang on the pool keys. 

Wednesday morning I went to work for a 1/2 day and then Jamie and I went shopping.  We went to Wood Connection and bought some fun stuff, then to Costco to look at possibly buying a TV for the basement (we just looked, we didn’t buy) and then to Deseret Book where we both found some treasures that we just had to buy.  From there we went in a make up store.  Jamie was in her element and I was totally out of my element.  It was fun to wander around.  We did come on a great deal.  If you spent $19.00 then you got a makeup bag and a whole variety of sample eye shadow, mascara, blushes, lipstick and make up brushes.  It was a very fun afternoon and nice to be able to spend time visiting without any interruptions from children or husbands.  When we got home,  Tucker decided he wanted to go to Hires for hamburgers.  Carly called Jamie when we got there and said that she was on her way home from work and would like to meet us there. 

When we got home Tucker and Neal met Jeff H. and Ryan at the theater to see a 10:30 p.m. showing of Hercules.  Jamie and I visited for a bit and then both of us decided it might be a nice change to get to bed before 1 a.m. 

Brock’s 8th birthday party

Last night we drove out to Maren’s home to celebrate Brock’s 8th birthday.  The kids swam, ran to the hot tub then back into the pool.  Greg and Tucker spent some time throwing the kids high in the air and into the pool.  The all loved it and just kept lining up waiting for their turn.  The only mishap came when they threw Peyton high in the air and when she came down she belly flopped hard.  She swam out of the pool, got out, and went right back in line.  Then she turned to her mother and said, “I’m alright” and then it was then that Jamie knew she wasn’t.  As Jamie got up to go to her, Peyton turned and ran to her mom with tears streaming down her face.  She tried so very hard to be brave. 

What would we do without our phones! 

After the swimming, we went inside and Maren fed the group pizza and salad.  Cupcakes were the hit of the party along with Brock’s birthday cake that he accidently dropped!  It was Murphy’s law all over again.  The cake landed exactly upside down!  Brock handled the mishap with a smile as everyone started laughing after they got over the shock of what happened.  Maren scooped the cake off the floor and the kids ate it anyway!

Maren scooping up the cake off the floor!  You can see the cake before in the picture above and the cake after in the picture below. 

As we were getting ready to go over to Maren’s a thunder and rain storm hit with a vengeance.  We even had hail about the size of peas.  When the storm finally subsided we went over to Maren’s, had Café Rio and played Reds.  Tucker played with Taylor’s pet who peed and pooped on Tucker more than once during the evening.

This is the varmint munching on some melon.  

It was a fun evening and we finally left Maren’s about midnight.  Another night of getting to bed after 1 a.m.

Birthday celebration cont. . . .

After we had dinner the grandchildren put on a little program that was wonderful!  This was the program with a couple of changes.

Andrew was the MC who came out each time to announce the next performance.  We were never quite sure who created the uniform or I should say costume.  It was a pair of gym shorts draped over one shoulder.  I thought he look a bit like Ceaser!  Not sure that is what the creator had in mind.

Abby and Lexi did magic tricks.  They were hard to record, obviously.  Next was Mallory playing one of my favorite hymns on her flute.  She played the primary song, “A Child’s Prayer”.  I actually gave her two choices before that but she didn’t know either one of them.  Jamie looked at them and said she had never heard of them either!  So I was instructed to pick a ‘regular’ hymn.  My favorite hymn is “O Home Beloved”  Every time I sing it or read the words I think of my mother, my home in Provo, the beautiful mountains that surround us and my Heavenly Home.  The other song is “The Wintry Day Descending to it’s Close.”  It reminds me of prayer and how important my communication and faith in my Father in Heaven is to me.  Ever since I was little the church hymns have always played an important role in teaching me the gospel and bringing me closer to my Father In Heaven.  Music has always been such an integral part of my life and always will be.

River sang a song in Chinese.  He has a good little voice.

The Cutler’s build a pyramid with Tucker lifting Mr. Boston to the top.  They then sang a song – I believe it was Happy Birthday.

Then Emmi, Maddie and Abby laid on the floor with blankets over the top of them and Lexi, Taylor and Jordyn Lyn sat on their tummy’s pulled their legs up and pretended they were doing Yoga Exercises.  It was really very funny.

Grayson did a dance.  So after the dance I caught his great smile!

Then, last on the program was Jordyn Lyn, Mallory, Hayley and Peyton singing “Que Sera Sera”.  Now that was certainly from my Era.  I totally remember Doris Day making that song famous.  I believe it came from the movie, “The Man Who Knew Too Much”.  Great movie.  And yes, I shed a tear. Wouldn’t you if you had four beautiful granddaughters singing a song to you?

Last on the agenda was a surprise from Tucker.  He had a puzzle of BYU and Utah.  He had all the family that were Utah fans go to one table and all the fans that were BYU go to the kitchen table.  We were given the get ready and start and we were to put the puzzle together and see who could win being the fastest.  Well, I’m proud to announce the BYU, yet again, conquered!  Yes, we won the puzzle contest.  Greg stole one of our pieces but we got it back in time.  The funny thing was that Jaden came over by our table and so we all accused him of taking the piece when in reality it was his dad.  So sorry Jaden for falsely accusing you, but you do have a reputation for being a tease.

I had teased Annie a few week prior to my birthday that I wanted a cake of the Salt Lake Temple.  She is so creative and makes such fun cakes that I just had to throw that out there.  I didn’t think she would ever do it but she rose to the occasion.  I did get a temple cake.  70 years, Faith, Family, Service.  Thank you Annie, it did touch my heart!  If you look closely you will see some gold at the top of the middle spire.  That is supposed to be Angel Moroni.  Nice touch and very creative.  She also made strawberry pies that are always a hit with all the family.  There was one incident that I must report.  There were candles at the top of the cake.  As I bent down to blow them out, Jeffry H. smashed my face into the cake.  It was all in fun and I gave him a swift kick in the seat of his pants!  Just like old times.

It was a wonderful day topped off with some games and an evening that last until about midnight.  Below are some random pictures of the family.  THANKS to my posterity for all you work in making my 70th birthday a fun and very memorable one.  I wish all the family could have been there but I did get a call from Derek wishing me a happy birthday.  I might add here that when Derek and I were saying “goodbye” to each other I said, “Now I know you are keeping track of where the missionaries are and reading your Book of Mormon every night, right?”  He laughed and said, “Mom, if that will make you sleep better at night then the answer is yes, 100%.”  How I love that boy!

I received some wonderful gifts and lots of hugs and loves.  I want you all to know how very much I love each one of you and am so grateful for the posterity that Neal and I have to enjoy.