Shanna's Birthday

I got a big package in the mail from Mom and I have been so curious as to what it could be. I was so surprised to see this beautiful quilt!! Patterns of blue, my favorite color. I love it!! When I talked to Mom, she told me she is making quilts for all her kids this year for their birthdays. She makes one for each of her grandkids when they get married, and she decided that all of her kids had been married so long that they probably needed a new quilt. And she is right! Some of mine are looking a little ragged. Mom loves to make quilts, and she does beautiful work. I am so happy!

I also got a package from Savannah, some Florence chocolates and a beautiful book filled with artwork and thoughts and quotes to help those who are grieving. She has given me Florence's chocolates before and they are the best I have ever tasted! They literally melt in your mouth! They come from a little shop in Rexburg and are hand dipped. They are my new favorite candy. I can't believe I've had 3 kids go to college in Rexburg and I've never heard or tasted them before now. I was very touched by her thoughtfulness.

I got this beautiful ring from Landon and Megan, another big surprise! I am really spoiled! I know they really appreciate me watching their kids full time and wanted to show their gratitude.



 The ring box was inside this really cute heart box, which was inside a huge gift bag stuffed with a ton of tissue paper. Britta took many pictures of me opening all of it, and a couple of days later her phone broke and all the pictures were lost! I was so sad! I took these two pictures to try and re-create at least some of the fun.

Delwyn is working in Aurora for work doing overnight 12 hour shifts, and even though it's only about 30 miles away, Lockheed Martin puts him up in a hotel because it is such intense work and long shifts. Landon and Megan came over for dinner and we ordered pizza. I made myself an orange bundt cake, but we have been having trouble with the oven, and it didn't get baked all the way through. The seal is loose and needs to be tightened. When Megan heard that, she insisted on getting this strawberry cheesecake for me and it was delicious!

One hundred and four people wished me Happy Birthday on Facebook. I had a great day and feel very loved!

No More Braces

After 8 sets of braces for 7 kids (Denya had them twice), we are officially done! 

Look at that smile! He's a handsome guy with beautiful teeth! He looks so much older all of a sudden. 

Dr. Lindsey gives his patients a treat of a caramel apple and some white chocolate lips. Ryan could pass on the apple, he is craving some caramel popcorn, one of the things he missed most while he had braces .It's one of my favorite things too, so you can be sure I'll be making some right away! 

They Call Me "Mr Plow"

One of the things Delwyn was most excited about when the Edwards' gave him this tractor was the fact that it had a snow blade. 

He has been anxiously waiting for a snow storm that was big enough so that he could try it out.

Today was the day!! Since it is 2 wheel drive, he even bought chains for it. He is like a kid with a new toy! He was smiling and smiling as he went round and round pushing snow.

Who would have guessed that a little tractor could make someone so happy? Happy plowing Delwyn!

New Years Party to Welcome 2017

Savannah, her mom Melissa, and her sisters, Maigen, Alivia, and Asya, are here for New Year's Eve! Savannah had a flight home on the 29th, and at the last minute, Melissa decided to drive to Texas and visit her son who lives there. So they came to Colorado, spent the night at Wade's house, and left for Texas early the next morning. They stayed a couple of days and on their way back to Idaho, stopped here again. They got here about 9 pm, just in time to join our New Year's Eve party! We were so glad to have a few more people! Britta and Ryan went to the Stake Youth Dance and Wade is working.

We had eaten most of the food before I realized I didn't take any pictures! We had some chocolate chip cheese dip

and some shrimp! We also had ham sliders, chips and salsa, mozzarella sticks, sweet chex mix, regular chex mix, carrots and ranch dip, and fruit with fruit dip.

We also had an assortment of soda and water. Megan attacked the ice since it was all stuck together.

We started out playing Telestrations. We really love this game! And the more people you have the more fun it is!

We hadn't met Savannah's sisters until now, and they are a fun bunch! They fit right in with us and we laughed and had a great time partying until midnight.

Landon and Megan brought some bubbly drinks for us to have at midnight.

They also brought some poppers that shot out confetti. We shot them just a little before midnight and starting yelling "Happy New Year!"

Then we poured out the drinks,

and toasted in the new year right at the stroke of 12! Here's to 2017!

I love celebrating in Utah, but I must say, this party was just as much fun as any of the ones we've had there. Happy New Year!