Birthdays!

There have been some birthdays!

My grandma turned 85 this year!  She wanted to go to the temple for her birthday.  So my mom and dad were able to go up and take her to the temple.  She was very excited (despite horrible traffic delays).  She also had a little party with family and a birthday cake.  She was completely tickled!  :)

I like this picture of my mom and grandma! :)

 Laney turned 1!

Karlee turned 9!

And since Karlee and Kavan and Laney all have birthdays within about 2 1/2 weeks of each other, we invited family up for a multi - celebration!  My mom and I got busy in the kitchen making food...

and spider birthday cakes - cause it was almost halloween!

 Friends and family came...

and we celebrated and had so much fun!!!  (We were trying to get a picture of the b-day kids, but Kavan was so worried about Laney getting the cake!)

Good enough!  :)

 

                                     

 How exciting is it to have a whole chocolate bar to yourself!?!

                                  

Look at these cool gift trees from Kirk, Jana, Collin and Samantha. (They even had money tied to them!)

 Then Kavan turned 7.  My dad took us to see Despicable Me (love this movie - I want to own it!) earlier in the day, then we went ice skating.

And Kavan really wanted a snake cake!  So I tried, and the way it looked kind of reminded me of the saying from Despicable Me - "Oh poop!"  Anyway...

 Candles were lit,

 and wishes were made, and all was good!!!

And as far as wishes go.  Karlee had wished that cousin Sarah's baby would be born on her birthday and she was.  Her name is Emelyne Rae - and isn't she beautiful!?!

                

Ohio!

Over the summer McKenzie got to spend about two weeks with my mom and dad. During those two weeks McKenzie planted tomatoes, sewed, shopped, and went to Ohio.

While in Ohio, she got to spend time with Great Grandma Burgy,

Great Grandma Phillips,

Cousin Sarah (with baby in belly!),

and Uncle John.

She also got to help with painting Cousin John and Annie's new house, go to an Amish auction, bake with Aunt Patty, and get her toes done with Aunt Patty.  Needless to say she ate lots of yummy food and got way spoiled!  :)

A couple of weeks later, I too got to spend some time with my mom and dad while we went to Ohio for a family reunion.

I got to spend time with my Grandma Burgy.  She even smiled lots for us.  It was a good day!

Got to see Sarah before her baby came.
 

Like Kenzie, I also got to go to the Amish auction with Aunt Patty, Sarah, and mom.  Pretty neat!

I laughed with my dad at the family reunion.  The reunions are just as I remembered as a kid.  I just appreciate the food a whole lot more now!!!  :)

Then we got to go shooting at John and Annie's.  That was so fun!  We had a lot of laughs - and John and Annie's house and property is beautiful!

And of course I got to see my Grandma Phillips. And sleep in her attic just like when I was a kid.  (If you look closely at this next picture you can see the bruise on my arm from shooting. Oh goodness!) 

 We had a great time together!  I really am so thankful that McKenzie and I got to spend this time with family.  Sadly, my Grandma Burgy passed away on September 3rd, just a couple weeks after I saw her.  She had quite a life of turmoil and I can't help but to think just how much peace she must have now.  My hope is that she is happy!

This picture is from our wedding day in 1993.  Look at her great smile!  That was a good day!

I promise - last lake post - for this year!

My dad is pretty cool on the air chair, right?

So some of us decided we wanted to be cool, too.  Kirk was up first.  Here he is getting some instruction from my dad.

 Up already!

 Focused and riding!  He's cool!

Kyler's up.  Yep, pretty cool!

Paul too!?!

Then, it was my turn...

I know!  Not cool!

I finally did get going... (see my smile?)

But apparently I don't have very good balance while sitting down.

By the way, Kirk was very proud of his picture taking skills!  :)

Our summer was mostly all about the lake. You couldn't tell could you?

 I've always secretly...ok maybe not so secretly hoped that one of my kids would love to ski.  Kyler learned how to slalom ski 2 summers ago but never loved it - until this summer!  Hooray! :)

And Collin finally decided he was going to ski.  And he did!  And he did AWESOME! And with a great big smile on his face!  :)  So cool!