My Birthday Party - Third & Final Part

 Happy, smiling family.

 Nick cooling off in the rain.

 Ruth teaching her nephew some new dance moves.

 Albert & I thanking our friends & family for coming to help celebrate & for their support during the past year.

 Sisters - Helen, Lillian, Edna & Carolyn.

 The sister "Ring Around the Rosie" dance.

 

 It was such a fun evening.

"The Walker Dance" entertained & brought a lot of laughter. My friend Doreen, borrowed a party guest's walker, & we proved that there is fun & games to be enjoyed at whatever age or in whatever circumstance we may find ourselves.

Carly enjoying herself.

Nick showing off some of his moves!

Here we are, at the end of a wonderful evening. missing Barry & Zach, knowing that Barry would have been in the middle of all the fun, dancing every dance with Sigrid & Abby & would have joined with his brothers in the toast/roast, Zach would have been busy with his camera, snapping lots of pictures.  My party pales to nothing, when I think of the good times & parties they are enjoying up in Heaven.

My Birthday Party Part 2

  The burger bar & BBQ beans were a big hit.

 

 For dessert, we had a sundae bar with a various  toppings.

 

Harla - non-Mennonite - teaching us Mennonites how to dance. 

Actually, we danced & moved & swayed & it was so much fun!

 Grandkids joined in & had a ball!

 The band played many well known songs.

 And we danced!

 And danced some more.

 Grandgirlies showing off their moves.

 Grandson enjoying some ice cream.

 My sons "roasting" me with some fitting words & a rousing rendition of " The Old Grey Mare ain't what she used to be!" Ah, yes - only my sons!!

 And then my sisters just marched right up to the mike & had a few things to say! And they roasted, I mean complimented me very well.

Son, Allen, very eloquently answered the question that our family has been asked many times. 

Are you OK? 

What does that mean? Are we OK?

He shared some deep insights in the many ways we answer that question. 

My Birthday Party - Part 1

A couple of years, I decided that I would like to have a party for my 65th birthday. My dear friend, Jolane, planned her own 60th birthday party, a few years ago & it was a fun party.  So I started doing some thinking & planning during the long winter we had.  My birthday is in February & I wanted a BBQ  for a meal & who wants to come to a BBQ in the middle of winter? So I picked June 14th as a party date & did alot of planning  & the date & plan fell into place. 

 Grandgirlie posing with me.

 Grandsons waiting for food.

It was difficult but we limited the guest list to 60 of our closest family & friends. 

Supper was a burger bar with many fixings & BBQ beans.

 Son, Chris hired a band - Shake, Rattle & Roll & they played 50's & 60's rock.

 The event was held in Chris's shop.

This party was also a way to express our appreciation to our family & friends for their unending support to our family during this past year. 

 There was much laughter, many hugs & lots of conversation.

These 2 kind friends - co-workers from Salem - made sure the buffet lines flowed smoothly. Their husbands barbequed the burgers.

Oldest son, Allen in conversation with my sister, Carolyn.

 Grandkids enjoying chips & salsa.

 Chris did the welcome & grace.

 Enjoying the band.

Granddaughter - Katie & myself.

This was the display table where there was a picture of Barry & Zach & several of the quilts that I have sewn for the Agape Project. Instead of cards & gifts, there was an opportunity for my guests to contribute cash that will go towards purchase of fabric that I will sew into quits for the Agape Project or someone in need of a quilt. Thanks to the generosity of friends & family - $255 was donated & I can hardly wait to shop & start on quilts for this great charity. 

There were just too many pictures for one post so Part 2 will follow shortly. 

Ten Days at the "Cottage."

Grandson attended a birthday party & the bow & arrow was the "take home" treat.

Johnny Jump ups showing off their colours.

 New growth on the spruce trees.

Making grilled cheese sandwiches in pie irons. 

 

A creek has ever-changing beauty all summer.

At the Cottage

 We are spending 10 days at our cottage aka our kid's place in the country. The above picture is of the screened deck where I will be spending as much time as possible. 

I do plan to enjoy morning coffee there but that will need to wait until Saturday & Sunday when I won't need to drive the grandkids to school.

 

 It is just to perfect time of the year to be out in the country. Many shades of luscious green, humming of bees as they seek out newly opened blossoms, the cooing of the mourning dove, other birds singing are just some of the sights & sounds that I am absorbing into my mind & soul this gorgeous spring evening.

 Did a short photo shoot this afternoon with just a few things that caught my eye. 

Love the contrast of the dandelion fluff against the green grass,

 Baby pinecones? Pine blossoms?  Whatever the correct name is, I thought these colours are amazing!

 

With a creek just behind the house er - cottage - the picture changes often. 

Peaceful, serene, soothing

Happy 98th Birthday, Mom.

 On Friday, May 30, it was my mom's 98th birthday. The above picture was taken at the party we had for her that day. She is an amazing lady. Two years ago, she was still living on her own in an apartment & now she is a care home & is receiving very good care. Mom has been a most wonderful example to me & I have inherited some of her best attributes. She has passed on her love for sewing to me, especially quilting. Sewing quilts of love not only for family & also for charity. Mom was a fabulous cook & has passed on her skills to her 4 daughters. I still use many of her recipes & the banana rhubarb jam recipe that I follow is a huge favorite of my grandkids.

 This picture was taken on May 25 at the party we had for Mom with my sisters & spouses.  What a special event to celebrate!

The above picture is of Mom with some of her special friends from her church. The two ladies that are sitting beside her are her faithful friends who try to visit her every week.

My mom still is an amazing prayer warrior for her family. She has a very strong faith & is a Godly example for her family. Oh, that I too, may be that kind of an example for my children.