GENO (Girls Night Out with Eric) Birthday celebrations for a bunch of us

Eric Mason, the renaissance man, he write, he picks beans, he cooks beans, makes salad, he BBQ's salmon, he makes us laugh, he runs, he bikes, he owns his own company, he makes us all feel good about ourselves and brings us together. These are some of my friends. (more photos found http://picasaweb.google.com/wigdawg/Spring08GENO)

Eric and Lisa picking yellow and green beans. Later they will be cooked with butter and fresh lemon juice, absolutely delicious.

Eric, bean picking.

The chickens, we, unfortunately, did not get to try the fresh eggs.

Swirling lavender.
Beverly showing off the beans.

Judy and Beverly.

Heather and Anna.

Caroline, who just got bit by a spider, who was living in the jacket she borrowed.

Cooking up the Salmon.

Erica and her daughter Amaya
Caroline, feeling better with Nora.

Heather, Anna and Beverly.

Eric and Kimberly

Karen and Aleksander
Eric, serving up the cake.

The yummy carrot cake with the one candle for all our birthday's.

My Amazing Genius Father

Why did it take me all these years to know that my Dad is an engineer. He studied and worked as an architect and always had the greatest printing ever. We knew he could draw up plans but, no idea how his brain could figure things out. For example, the swing, slide, playset in the back needed to be moved. As you can't really see, but before the swing was removed it faced the fence and Mom asked him to turn it. Seems like some strapping brothers should be able to pick it up and turn it, NOT.

The playset had been sitting there for a few years and had sunk into the grass. So Dad thought about what to do and drew some pictures. He figured he could turn the playset 45 degrees and then the slide would face the grass at a diagonal. Therefore enough room for the kids to slide down the slide and not run into the fence. So, Dad asked Mark and I to come outside and help him, though he really didn't need our help very much. He had everything laid out and ready to go. He took a metal bar and stuck it under each corner, using a piece of wood for leverage (sorry if this is hard to visualize, I'm doing my best), then lifted up the corner. Then Mark pushed the 1 x 4 underneath. They repeated this on each corner.

Then Dad took the piece of wood, a 4x4, that would hold the swings and used it to push the playset (using leverage) and in seconds it moved it perfectly 45 degrees. Genius. It was remarkable. (Thank you to Nanette for the "after" photos)

Playset before it was moved and a little disassembled. The slide would have been attached and pointing toward the fence.
You can see the grass where the playset used to be.

Close up of the ground and the 45 degree turn.

Slide now facing diagonally, plenty of room for the grandkids to fly off the slide onto the grass. Also, the swing set bar on the right, is the lever Dad used as a lever to actually turn it.
Excellent shot of the slide, thank you Nan.

The happy playset in it's new location. Notice the beautiful yellow roses along the fence.

Hanging out at the Parents, random pictures

Eryn needed her hair brushed. She she looked around at all the people in the living room and chose...Grandpa! Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of this, but Nanette may have, check her blog. Eventually, I got the privilege. Seriously, it was so much fun to have all these girls around.

Me and Eryn, brushing her hair before bed.
Mark is in the background with Madelyn.

Eryn, searching for a brusher of hair.

Mark's family all dressed up for church.
Top row: Jordyn, Andrea Eryn and Mark.
Bottom row: Katelyn, Allyson and Madelyn.

This would have been an even more stunning picture
of my sister Nanette, had I got it in focus.
Nevertheless, she is still beautiful, even fuzzy.

Eryn in grandma's dress up hat, shoes and purse.

Katelyn, dressing up with accessories before bed time.

Allyson and baby sister Madelyn.

Eryn, the dancing singing girl

Strawberry Days Parade, Pleasant Grove, Utah

A hot hot hot day (probably 95 degrees fahrenheit) in small town Utah, here we are sitting on the hot asphalt watching a homey parade. We never did see any strawberries. They threw candy, does that count?

Spectators

Smokey the Bear!

The band.


At this point the corn maze guy was facing the wrong way, I screamed "Hey corn man, turn around", my mother was embarrassed and wondered who I learned this behavior from. I'm pretty sure I learned this from myself and anyway, it worked. :)

What parade has a demolition derby ad, plus the banged up automobile!

Weekend at the parents - the slumber party

Not everyone is represented here, but there were 10 girls and 2 boys for a sleepover. Which is a switch from the 3 girls and 7 boys years ago, when I lived there :) Have to admit it was fun having all the girls around.

Mommy and Daddy

Me and Allyson

Eryn, on her way up for some ice and water

Jordyn, she's near the frig, just waiting for the ice water

Katelyn loves the ice too.

Mark's family love their ice water :)

Allyson, my niece.

Mom's First Birthday Party?

Hum, how could we have missed having a birthday party for our Mother? Was this really the first one. We've documented it anyway and I've not seen her this happy in a long time. Five siblings out of eight attended, plus Eric's wife Ivonne. Enjoy the images.

The "Happy" birthday Girl

The "happy" me

My brother Mark aka "the happy party planner"

The birthday girl and my Dad.

David, my brother manning the BBQ.

Asher, my nephew and his mom Ivonne, my sister-in-law

My niece Nicole and her mom Tami, my sister-in-law

My nieces Elle and Katelyn

My sister-in-law Andrea and her daugther/my niece Madelyn

My nieces, Nicole and Kelsey

My niece Kelsey

My Mom, see how happy she is!

My brother Jason

My nieces Katelyn and Allyson

My Mom, Jason, my brother and his wife Stephanie. In the background Ivonne and her niece.

Nanette (my sister)