Megan's birthday

Megan decided to invite all the Young Women and Young Men from church for her 15th birthday/back to school party at our house this year. She also had her best friend from school last year over as well.

Several of the guests. The two girls on the left are playing DDR (Dance Dance Revolution, a dance video game). They played DDR, "Bop it!," they found that somewhere in the basement and Air Hockey. We also had hot dogs, hamburgers, lemonade, and chips available for those that were hungry. After that we had the biggest DQ cake ever! There was only one piece left for my dayhome kids at the end of the night. There were at least 26 youth (14-17) plus a few parents and our Bishopric that came throughout the evening.



Note: Megan is spelled (Meghan) on the cake because her friend at work wanted to do it that way to bug her. :)

Next it was time for the presents. Denver gave her a discman so she can listen to her own music in the car or wherever. Several people that came gave her little gifts as well. Then it was time for some fun! Her present (so she thought) was in a huge box from us. Inside was the first of several clues to send her on a "treasure hunt" for her presents. They are a lime green shower curtain and fushia bath mat, a lime green laundry hamper, and finally a red cell phone. Her reaction when she finally got it was, "SWEET!" I think she was kind of stunned (she was actually speechless) for a few minutes!

Savannah says, "Won't my big sister just love this present? I sure do!"

Smiley

Looking at yet ANOTHER cell phone ad on the wrapping paper. She had been noticing them all over the place for weeks!

Clue #1: Just when you thought you were opening your present, guess again! It's time to go on a quest, from your parents who ARE the very best!
It may be near, it may be far, maybe it fell out when we got out of the car?

Clue#2: Nope not here, maybe under the hockey rink?

The "hockey rink" was the Air Hockey table!

Clue #3: What are you thinking? It would never be here, but Dad may have put it in his truck where it is nice and safe! Maybe you should ride with him once in awhile!!!



The aftermath of the "big" present box. Note: there is a hand and knee sticking out of the box! Boxes amuse little children and big children!!!

Clue #4: Nope! You spend so much time in the bathroom, maybe we put it in there.

Clue #5: Not Denver's bathroom, try yours!

New shower curtain and bathmat.

Clue #6: Why would we put it here when we like to put gifts in a place you see on a daily basis? Go check your room.

New laundry hamper.

Clue #7: This is where we would have hid it, but I may have lost it yesterday. Maybe it fell from my pocket when I picked up your cake.

She had to go to DQ, so a friend from the party drove her there. Apparently there they made her look all over for it! We didn't know what was taking so long.

Clue#8: Come on you know I am more careful than that. It's probably nice and safe at home under your pillow. Now get someone to sing you Happy Birthday so you can come back home. Better hurry!

Our living room has never had this many kids in it ever!

I don't have a photo of it yet, but when she looked under her pillow she found a REALLY old cell phone from Rick's work (the big kind that don't flip open) and a note. The note was something like "You weren't really expecting a nice cell phone were you?"

While she was reading the note I dialed her new cell number and she heard it ringing from her bookshelf.

Big smiles again! I think she just couldn't believe it was real.

Comparing the cell phone to the photo on the DQ clue. They are the same. Pretty much after that she went around taking photos of everyone with the phone. Then most of the youth took turns going in the hot tub. They all had a good time.

Megans' new wallet. Savannah says "It's mine! Get your own!"

A Good Day

We went to Hinton on August 5th to stay overnight with our friends, the Ross's. The next day we went to a lake called Kelley's bathtub to do some exploring and let the kids go fishing.


This is a scrapbook page I made of some of the photos from the lake.







Here are some other photos from the trip. I'm not going to add other comments, just take a look if you are interested.

First Family Holiday

July 21st we were on our way! This is Savannah listening to Megan's tunes during the long ride in the truck.

That evening we camped at an RV park on the outskirts of Saskatoon. Megan and Denver went for an exploration bike ride and found this old building. They figure it is haunted!

This is a cool old bike hanging in the building. There was all sorts of junk in it. I think it was a house at one time. A few of the doors look like barn doors though, so could have been a barn also.



We arrived at Gramma's on the 22nd. She didn't like the kids to have to say "Great Gramma" all the time, so she is Gramma to everyone.



Here is Savannah, our new budding pianist. Megan was teaching Denver "Ode to Joy" and a few other songs. Savannah thought it looked like fun, so after that she just climbed up on the bench to play piano whenever she felt like it! Which was quite often!!!!!




Auntie Connie took Megan and Denver to Whitefish Lake on the 23rd. These photos are from when everyone went on the 24th.

Gramma Phyllis from her vantage point, with Rick taking a break after his long swim.

Megan drying off, or warming up to go again!

Auntie Connie and Denver catching minnows. This kid has a fishbowl for his head, with fish swimming around in it non-stop all summer.

Gramma's farm viewed across a field.

A bee on my travels cutting flowers to make arrangements for the fair.

Gramma and Savannah. Denver and I in the background with all my flowers for arranging.




Cuddles.

Aren't we a happy pair! I love my new Gramma!

Several of my arrangements for the fair. I did 12 in all.

July 26th after dropping of our fair entries Rick and I met Auntie Connie and the kids at the museum. That was a lot of fun. Everyone enjoyed it. We saw an escaped pet rabbit that seems to live there and quite a few frogs. Megan discovered she likes antique things. She and Denver really liked seeing everything and learning what they were for.

This is all the kids on antique tractors.

Inside Lady Hubble school we found this "Rules for Teachers" list from 1872. I think if you double click on it you should be able to get a larger copy of the photo to read it for yourself.

Ready for school!

Starting young as an attentive student!

Will someone please shine my shoes?

Okay Denver, but I don't know how well this is going to work.

Auntie Connie and the kids outside the Blacksmith shop.

July 26th at the parade. Savannah discovered that suckers are the best thing in the world! For now anyway.

July 27th we all (minus Gramma) went to Madge Lake and met our cousins there.

This is Savannah posing in front of the lake. She really enjoyed Whitefish Lake when we were there, but didn't want to have anything to do with the water at Madge Lake. Though she enjoyed the boat ride immensely!

Here are our cousins: Elisha, Hannah, Maureen, Liam, and Bill.

Megan and one of her favorite activities at Gramma's house. Playing with the kittens trying to tame them. She was able to pet them a couple times while doing this.

Denver petting the tamest kitten.

Playing piano on the last day (the 30th), while everyone was getting ready to head home.

Megan, Savannah, Pamela, Gramma Phyllis and Denver

Gramma and the kids.

Savannah thinks suckers are for sniffing for some unknown reason!!!!! This was taken on the long drive home.

We had planned on stopping somewhere to camp for the night, but when we got close to the Battlefords, there were tornado watches for most of the area. Denver thought it would be cool to sleep in the 5th wheel during a tornado, but we knew better! So we kept on trucking and arrive home at 10 pm. There was a tornado that touched down near North Battleford, so we are glad we came home. It gave the kids and I a day to relax before day home kids started coming again.