More Parties in March

So on my actual birthday we were going to go down to my Mom's to celebrate with my family.  She got sick and so we postphoned it a week and celebrated my, David's and Jacob's birthday together on the 14th.

Add caption

Heidi gave me some shoes that I love

Malia, Linnea, Julianna, David and Olivia

Me and the nieces

David, Jacob and me--the Birthday Kids--blowing out the candles

Does the fun ever end?  No!  

On Saturday we had Stake Activity Day.  The theme was There's No Place Like Home based on The Wizard of Oz.  I was Dorthy, my first counselor, Julie, was the lion, my second counselor, Margaet, was the scarecrow, and my secretary, Emily was the tin man. (Pictures to come)  I had the Dorthy costume from Halloween when I was principal.  The lion and scarecrow came from my secrataries at Spring Creek.  About 10 years ago we had a PTA president who was a fabulous seamstress.  She made the lion and scarecrow.  Then I borrowed them from Jean and Debi for this activity.  Funny thing is Debi and Julie are both shorter and fit the lion costume and Jean and Margaret are taller and fit the scarecrow costume.

Spring Creek Halloween 2004

We gave the girls a necklace with 2 "ruby" slippers on it when they arrived.  They came in and had finger food breakfast, then made a craft before going to mini classes.

A girl from my ward, Corie, had done a sharing time earlier this year that I had seen and she had used Dorthy etc. as part of it talking about "getting home."  We had her come and give the same sharing time to introduce the theme. The activity went very well.  You always hope that the girls enjoyed it and got something out of it.

The next day, Sunday, March 23rd, was Jacob's 6th birthday!

After church Grandma and Grandpa Wong and Karen came over for dinner and to open presents

He got gum

                                 

A new bike

Hit of the day--his Ben 10 watch!!

 He has been begging for one and he LOVED it.  It was one of those moments when you feel like you hit the jackpot as a parent!

Ben 10 cake

It was a fun day and I can't believe he is 6!


 He was born on a Sunday and was this small only 6 years ago!
My how times flies!!

Jacob with Grandma Safsten --just a few hours old

50!

Last Friday, March 7th, was my 50th birthday! That amazes me...you never really consider being that old until it hits (or is getting close!)  You spend a lot of time in life trying to achieve that next goal...then you get to a point where you've hit most of them (not that you can't continue improving) and so now it is more that rather than accumulate more (I've done the first apartment, first car, first condo, first house, first husband :), first child, etc.) I want to refine what I have.

I started the birthday off early by going to dinner, on Tuesday, with some college friends.  In college we spent our birthdays together since we were all born within 1 week of each other.  What are the chances of that?  Lisa, Inez and I met in the dorms and we met Birthe the following year in our apartments.  Lisa, sitting my me, is Feb. 28th; Birthe, sitting across from Lisa, is March 3rd; and Inez, sitting across from me, is Feb. 29th.  Then I am March 7th.




Here is a picture from our 21st birthday.  Birthe is actually 4 years older than us and we remember at 21 wondering how she was still alive at 25 and not married!   How could anyone live to be that old?!?!

Friday was a fun day.   My friends from the ward, Julie, Julie and Teresa took me to lunch at Kneaders.  So yummy.

Later in the afternoon I received a delivery of beautiful flowers from Joy and family!  Such a fun surprise!!  They are beautiful!!                

We were going to go down to Mom and Dad's for dinner, but mom got sick...we postponed it to the next Friday.  This meant that Jacob could go to his friend's birthday party from 4:30-6:30, which meant Jason and I could go out to dinner.  

When we all got home Jason and Jacob brought me my presents...a beautiful bracelet, Sees candy :), and a certificate for Jamba Juice!   Then we lit the candle on a buntlet cake (perfect size for a family of 3) 

and Jacob and I blew it out.  

 Now we can head on to the next party coming this Friday!!!

Jauary and February

It has been so hard to keep up with this lately!  This year started off with Jr. Jazz basketball.  Jacob played with the same kids  he has played soccer, t-ball etc. with.  He is #15 with the red shoes.

He likes playing with friends probably more than he actually likes playing the game.  :)








On Sunday, January 11th, Jacob lost his first tooth!  Amazing to think he is old enough for that.  A week later he was at playgroup, eating a cookie, and thinks he swallowed the second one.

 When I was growing up in California, there was a girl who lived just down the street who babysat us.  Her name is Debbie.  She and her friend Nancy would come to babysit us and we really liked her.  Her dad had a work transfer to Saudi Arabia and they left.  Somehow, about 15 years ago, I heard that she had ended up here in Salt Lake (which is surprising since she is not a member of the Church) and I looked her up in the phone book.  We got together and had lunch.  Years have passed and we got in touch again and went to lunch in January.  I found out that Nancy had lived here in Hurricane for about 4 years.  I wish I had known--it would have been so fun to see her!  Amazing how after 40 years we can still get together and have a great time!

Our 8th anniversary was on February 4th.  Jason brought these home and I loved them!!   This was our celebration....the previous weekend Jacob was up visiting his cousins and we were going to do something, but Jason got strep throat.  After dinner we headed to The Atria (an assisted living center in our Stake) to do FHE for them.  After we ran to the church to get our temple recommends renewed.   On ward and up ward!

December

We began December with my Dad's 82nd birthday.  My niece, who is attending BYU, has so much money on her meal ticket that we all went to the Legend Restaurant, on campus, for dinner to celebrate.

Jacob took a picture of Jason and me :)

                                                                                                                                                             








 For Christmas each year Jason's work hosts an employee Christmas dinner, this year it was at the Salt Palace, and a children's Christmas party.

The kids party was at the zoo to see Zoo Lights.  So we all bundled up and went to the zoo. It was fun to see the lights and some of the animals who are not usually out during the summer...like the big cats.  The tiger was actually out and around.  Fun to see!

The rest of December was busy with school, car pools, etc.  For Christmas Jason and I decided to stay at my parent's Christmas Eve  and open presents with them Christmas morning.

Mom and Dad

Heidi and family came to mom's for dinner Christmas Eve.

Malia getting the table ready

Playing with cousins

Pre-dinner snacks

Cleaning up after dinner Mom and Malia

Jacob opening his pajamas

We let Jacob open one present before he went to bed.  It was pajamas...not anything he was overly thrilled by and I'm sure he was hoping that the morning gifts would be better.

The tree after Santa had come

Grandma Safsten looking at the stockings with Jacob

Ooooo....Dad got a bottle opener!

What is it???

 The art set he said he had always wanted!

 A new CD player.  This was just a strange shot...not to mention that Jacob had gotten hold of our camera and pushed a button that made the pictures a bit fuzzy.

The picture magnet Jacob made me at school

A book!  How did Dad know??

 The Y Flicker.  For weeks Jacob really didn't talk about anything he wanted....then about 2 weeks before Christmas he started telling people that he had asked Santa for a Y Flicker.  He had?  We sure hadn't heard about it!  Good thing Santa did!!

 Breakfast Christmas morning

 After being at my parents, we headed down to Jason's Dad's house and opened presents there.

Jacob with his 3D glasses on writing his scientific notes

Jason's brother, and family, moved up to Idaho Falls about 2 weeks before Christmas and so couldn't be there on Christmas day.  They came up the following weekend...here Jacob is in his room waiting for the cousins to come and sleep over with us.

Twins

 For New Year's Eve a family, the Spilkers, in our ward invited us and another family over for dinner and games.  The theme was from Despicable Me...and we all became Minions.  It was so cute.  They had games and everything was colored for the theme.  They went to so much work.  It was darling!!

Getting dessert ready

The pinata

 They had a pinata and when it was close to midnight Julie got out the noise makers and we made noise!!  I love David's face in this picture!

               







Toasting to the New Year!  Happy 2014!