Laura's Birthday - May 2016

I hate to admit it, but I am getting up there where I hate letting people know my age because rather than telling me, "But, you don't look that old," they might just say . . ."THAT old!" and I'll really feel that old!  Anyway, my husband and kids planned the best birthday party weekend ever for my 70th Birthday!  I absolutely loved it!

 The darling invitation that was sent out.

 On Friday night, after those who had flown to Utah arrived, we all met at a little restaurant for dinner.  Alison and John came in from California.  Bracken is attending BYU, so it was fun to have him be able to attend the party, too. 

 Kyle and Kim from Utah.

 Granddaughters, Jenna and Lauren, Utah

 Granddaughters Hannah (Utah) and Ella (Washington)

 Kevin and Angie, Utah

 Grandsons:  Ethan (Washington), Kade (Utah), and Brady (Utah)

 Anne (Texas), Natalie and Kent (Washington)

 Jeff and Amy (Kansas)

 Amy's great friend, Heather, who our family has known for many years and formerly lived in Texas, also, attended

And this adorable little guy--our newest grandson (named "Copeland"), got to come with his parents, Jeff and Amy, clear from Kansas.

Everything that was planned for my birthday included activities the kids knew that I loved so much.  They knew there was no place that I would rather go than be in the temple with all my kids and their spouses.   The grand kids went home that weren't old enough to go in the temple, and off we went for a wonderful, meaningful evening doing temple work in the Draper Temple.

 

 When we came out, the sunset made the clouds so beautiful, and the whole grounds were so peaceful.

Such a special evening with my family!

On Saturday morning, Kevin had formulated a car caravan with all the cars plugged in by blue tooth so that we could all talk together.  We wanted to relive the 21+ years we lived in Salt Lake City.  It started out so crazy because after we took this picture of what everyone thought was our first house--except me--it just didn't seem right, and sure enough . . .

 we realized we were in front of the wrong house.  It actually was 1972 when we moved to this house below!!!  

Yes, this is the correct house where we moved from Glendale, California, with three kids--Kevin, Alison, and Kyle when Kyle was only one month old (three children under three years old!  Kevin didn't turn three years old until four months after Kyle was born!)  Eventually we had two more children, Amy and Cameron; so, we lived here with five children.

Twin Peaks Elementary is where our first three children attended school.  (And no, they didn't have that little birthday greeting.  Anne just photo shopped it in!  So fun!)

Kevin, Alison, and Kyle all began their public education here.

And here is the chapel where we attended church.  We made so many lasting friendships there because most all of us had young families with husbands who were just getting started in their careers.

After living in our former house for five years, we moved to this home in what was known as Erickson Dairy, because it was on land sold by the Erickson family right next to their dairy.  (We picked up milk pretty often there while we lived here.)

 Our last two children--Kent and Craig were born while we lived in this home on Channel Drive in Murray, Utah.  This was a corner lot and always covered with kids!  One time, I looked out the window and counted 25 kids playing out there!  In addition, we had two Chinese foster kids that lived with us for a few months here as well as three other people who lived off and on there.  It was certainly a busy house with seven kids and lots of other invited people living there, but we got along fine and have many happy memories there!

Kyle reminded everyone how often the kids would have to weed this front area from the sidewalk to the street to give them some jobs to learn to work.  We were raising kids, so we never thought about putting grass in there.  Kevin pointed out the window wells around the house that we constantly bailed water out of whenever it rained.  There were, also, stories told about our dog, Lady, having her first puppies there and us having to bury the littlest puppy who didn't live long in front of the house.  We grew a garden and raspberries there, so of course, there were stories about that, too.    

In November of 1981 when Craig was only six months old, we joined into a partnership with our neighbors, Steve and Darlene Sorenson, and opened a Dairy Queen in the Fashion Place Mall.  This involved all of the kids as they all helped out to make it the great success that it was.  Each family took a week to run it and besides each of our children helping out, we had 25 employees.  

It was very busy and demanding even with each family only having to take care of it every other week, so after three years, we decided to sell the business.  A food court was coming in the mall and we felt we would no longer be able to compete with so many different options there.  It turned out to be a very positive business venture, however, and the kids learned a great deal about hard work and commitment.

One day, when Kent was only about three years old, I needed to go  help out at the Dairy Queen.  I put Kent in the backseat of my used car that had always had doors that didn't really shut very well.  Remember:  These were the days before seat belts and children in car seats were almost non-existent.  As I was coming from the left and as I was going through the intersection to make a left turn, I heard a click and told Kent to be careful about the doors.  However, after I made the turn, I looked back and didn't see Kent at all--instead, I saw him lying right in the intersection we are standing in front of in this picture.  I was terrified because this is a busy intersection and I could see a city bus coming through from the street where you see a car right now.  I slowed the car down as much as I could and jumped out of the car while it was still rolling.  If you look at the white mailbox to the left of Kent's head with the white house behind, that is where the car rolled over the mailbox and luckily rather than hitting the house, the car was stopped by the tree that it plowed into.  I raced to the intersection, scooped Kent up, and ran to the car.  The poor people were just coming out of the house to see what happened.  I didn't even have time to say, "Sorry," because I was already backing up and taking off to see if my son was okay.  

After going to the Dairy Queen to use the phone to call the doctor, he told me to bring Kent in immediately.  Kent kept telling me he was "tired," and I refused to let him go to sleep because I had heard you weren't supposed to let someone sleep that might have a concussion.  Anyway, we were so blessed that day because Kent had not even a scratch nor any head trauma and he was safe.  We were so thankful!

 Right in our circle, just across the street, we had a wonderful woman whose name was, "Miss Connie" who had the most fantastic pre-school in her basement.  She had her professional teaching certificate and was just an outstanding teacher.  Amy, Cameron, and Kent all attended pre-school for two years apiece there before starting public school.

 McMillan Elementary is the public school the first six kids attended.  It was close enough that they just walked, so it was fantastic to not have car pools for any of the kids--at least for school!

Craig is the only kid who didn't go here for elementary school.  
 

The three older kids, also, started junior high there in Murray at Hillcrest Junior High.  We moved again after the year that we had a 7th grader, an 8th grader, and a 9th grader attend here.  Sadly, no picture of the school could be taken as the building was taken down in order to build a new one across the parking lot.

 Another memory was known as "Four Diamonds," the ball park in Murray where four baseball games could be going at the same time.  Kevin and Kyle both played on teams here, and Cameron was the ball boy for Kevin's team.

 Besides playing on baseball teams here, George brought all the kids over here many Sunday afternoons and let them get their wiggles out by playing ball with them.

 In 1986, when Craig was five years old and just ready to start kindergarten, we moved into the home of our dreams.  We designed it, picked everything out inside, and did all the landscaping ourselves.  We put so much love, sweat, and tears into this home, but we presumed we would live in it forever!
We took at picture of John and Alison in front because this home and yard is where they held their reception after they were married in the Salt Lake Temple 24 years ago!

 Amy, Cameron, Kent, and Craig all attended elementary school here at Canyon View.  While Craig was attending half day kindergarten, I started back to get my education certificate current.  Although I had a Masters of Business Education, I had let my certification expire, and I just had to take a few classes to get it back in force.  Then, when Craig went full time as a first grader, I started the first of my 26 years of teaching as a junior high teacher at West Lake Junior High in West Valley.

Another great memory is watching the three youngest boys, Cameron, Kent, and Craig play baseball on this diamond in Bywater Park.  I can still hear the sound of the bat hitting the ball when Craig made his first home run here! And here on the side of the announcer's booth is still the sign with Kent's name when he was on the 1989 Minors' All-Star State Champions Team.
 

It was so fun for him to share this site with his kids and Natalie.  Because of him being on this team, our family got to travel with him to Oakland, California, to attend the Little League Play-offs there.  We had such a fantastic time and really appreciated Kent making this possible!
We then went by the Middle school where Amy, Kyle, Kent, Cameron, Alison, and our daughter-in-law, Angie, all went to school.  They have remodeled it quite a bit since then.


Brighton High School was where our first four children graduated from, with the first three all marrying spouses who graduated from there, too.  

Cameron attended his sophomore year there, then we moved to Florida where he graduated.  In the picture is:  Cameron, Amy, John and Alison, Kim and Kyle, Kevin and Angie.

We then drove around behind the school where the football field was.  Kyle was our only son who played high school football.  He was on the team who played for the state championship the year he was a senior.  Sadly, they lost, but it was a great game!
Again, Anne's artwork makes us all smile!  This is the large "B" on the end of the football field where Alison and her drill team performed for all the home games--and yes, she certainly did have great school spirit!

 We then went inside the gymnasium.  All five oldest kids remember this gymnasium well, not only for sports, but assemblies, pep ralleys, etc.!  Alison and Amy were both on the Brighton High School Accadians, so they performed during half time here.  Kevin and Cameron both played on the Brighton High School Basketball teams.
 
 Kevin was one of the captains of the basketball team his senior year.  That year, they played for the State Championship, but ended up being the runners-up.  They lost in the final seconds!  So sad!

And here is something Amy proudly shows:  During her Senior Year, the Brighton Accadians of which she was a member took the 1993 State Championship in Drill.  It was very exciting then and still is--the only time Brighton has taken State!

After visiting all the school and sport sites in the area, we went to the chapel where we went to church until a new ward was started, of which George became the first bishop there.  Somehow we didn't get a picture of that chapel, but conveniently, it was right behind our house.  
Yes, I have to say this was one of the funnest activities ever for all seven of the kids and George and me.  I don't know if the spouses had as much fun as we all did because they hadn't lived through all these things--but they were certainly good sports!

Saturday Night.  The night of the big party!  The best present of all is for a mother to have all of her children attend!

And to have all seven children, plus all the spouses except Craig's wife, Cassie, who we missed so much, in attendance was just the best!  Our hearts went out to Cassie as her father had just passed away a short time before.




















  Everyone worked so hard to make everything perfect!

The displays were fantastic and so much thought had been put into them.
 

 
 

Yes, and there may have been a little play along with the work!

Grandsons:  Bracken and Ethan

Grandsons:  Kade and Carter

So many beautiful flower arrangements were created.

 

And Amy was busy on the computer finishing up the birthday video.

And after everything was arranged, there was some visiting time before the guests arrived.

Not one detail hadn't been covered!

 

 I loved the darling cake--and it was not only darling, but delicious--a red velvet cake!

Soon the guests started arriving.

My brother, Jerry and his wife, Shelly, were so kind to bring my dad down from Idaho with them.

Three generations:  Alison, my dad, me

 My sister, Joyce, my dad, and me

 

Me with my sisters, Natalie and Joyce

My brother, Blair, and sister-in-law, Denise

 

 My brother, Jerry, and sister-in-law, Shelly

 My cousin, Lon, his wife, Linda, and two of their little granddaughters.

These have been some of our very best friends for 47 years!  Kent and Sharyl

 

In fact, we named our son, Kent, after this great friend!

 

 Some of our dearest friends and mentors throughout practically our entire married life have been Elder Ben and Sue Banks.  We felt so honored that they would attend this party!

Wonderful friends, Bethany and JR, who've we known since we moved to Salt Lake City in 1972.

Two daughters who we've watched grow up since we were so close to their family, also since 1972.

 

 Amy and her friend who has become our entire family friend, Heather.

My sister, Natalie, checking out little Copeland.  She just had her first grandchild a little over a year ago and really loves babies!

 
 And we surely love this new little grandson of ours, too!

 So adorable!  So glad he got to come to the party, too!

The only imperfection in the entire party was the weather!  Soon after all the pictures above were taken, the weather started turning very cold and windy.  But no problem, we just all went inside and the party went on just as before.  Fortunately, Kevin and Angie had a large enough basement that we all fit very nicely--all 85 of us.

And more wonderful friends we met at the same time and have remained close to--Sheri and Merril; and Donna and John.  

 

And these fantastic people, Glen and Margaret, have literally been our friends for all 48 years we have been married!  All six of their children are the exact same age within a few days or months of our first six children.  They just didn't have the seventh child like we did!

And here we have someone who seems just like another daughter to us--she watched our children grow up and has always been an important part of all of our lives--Sandy.

Another person that seems more like a "son" rather than a friend is "Tilby."  When he came to our home, he was just part of the family!

George and I are very blessed to have so many wonderful in-law parents in our family.  These are Angie's parents and I feel badly that I didn't get pictures of some of the other in-laws who, also, attended.

Angie's mother, Marti, is always so great to dive in and help out so much!  I didn't get a picture of the wonderful BBQ smorgasbord that we provided, but it was fantastic!

More special people who attended:  My niece, Melissa, and her husband, Phil.

Their daughter, Livia, loves to play hand slap games with George.

 

 

 My nephew, Brad, and his wife Erin, and their little daughter, also, were so sweet to attend.

This young man, Brandon, grew up with our grandson, Bracken, when they lived in Virginia.  They have stayed friends ever since, and saw each other a lot when we moved to Florida and Brandon's family did, also.

And these are some of our best friends when we lived in Gainesville, Florida.  We loved seeing them because we haven't seen them for probably over 20 years, but have stayed in touch mostly through Christmas cards. 

And throughout the night, I loved that everyone was able to visit with so many loved ones or people they hadn't seen for years, also. 

Sunday Morning.  The final planned birthday weekend was attending the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Sunday Broadcast.  

 

Grandson, Bracken; Grandfather George; and Dad, John

Grandchildren Bracken, Hannah, Lauren, and Kade

Grandma Laura and grand daughter, Lauren

Grandpa George with Lauren

The Choir Broadcast today included the group, Gentry, who is composed of three tenors.  The whole program was absolutely fantastic!

With the wonderful feeling we all felt when the Broadcast was done, we couldn't have ended my birthday weekend on a better high!  I seriously felt like the happiest person in the world after all the many kindnesses that were shown to me this entire weekend.  I certainly didn't deserve all the time and effort that everyone had to do to make this whole weekend happen, but it will truly be an experience that I will never forget!  THANKS to everyone, especially my kids, their spouses, and my husband for making this all possible!  I LOVED IT ALL!