Happy Birthday Warren

I wanted to make sure Warren had some nice suprises for his 50th birthday.  First surprise came at 7am when Warren got up to go and clean the church with the High Priests.  I had him go downstairs where Tyler was waiting.  Tyler got up at 3am to catch a 4am bus down from Logan. Warren started to cry when he hugged Tyler.

Next surprise came when Warren opened his Birthday gifts after breakfast. I gave him Star Wars tickets. We attended an afternoon show with our friends the Browns. Neither Tyler or Federica had seen the show and so we brought them along.

 

 The movie did not disappoint. 

 Having a little fun in the lobby of the theater before the movie started.

 We needed to stay away from our house until 5pm so Jessica, Graig and Melanie could get Warren't third surprise ready. The movie ended at 4 and so I enlisted the Browns to help me keep Warren busy for 45 minutes. Tony offered to take Warren for an ice cream and we discovered there is a new Dairy Queen close to the theater. One of Warren's favorite treats is a Peanut Buster Parfait. While we were at Dairy Queen, Tyler and Federica took our car to the store.  This made it so we couldn't leave before 4:45.

When we exited the movie theater, the weather was foggy and the sun and the landscape looked very extra-terestrial. Even this old piece of Geneva Steel by the Dairy Queen seemed to fit in the Star Wars world. Warren drove like he was driving fighter jet until we saw a police car.

 When we got home, there was dinner waiting along with Warren's good friend Terry and his wife Heidi.  I wasn't quite the "SURPRISE" I was hoping for.  Dinner was a simple BBQ pulled pork on rolls with chips. Terry and Warren do Boy Scouts together.

 Later the Atkisson's joined us. Other neighbors and friends trickled by through the evening to wish Warren a Happy Birthday,

 Clayton, Tony, and Sarah

 Melanie lighting not quite 50 candles...

After all of our friends had gone to other New Year's parties, Warren and the kids had their traditional New Year's bonfire with our Christmas Tree and Clayton and Jessica's tree. Then they played games until after the New Year. I went to bed early, exhausted.

Park City with Federica

Of all the many exchange students we have hosted, Federica is the first to make it back for a follow up visit. We wanted to show her something new and so we combined a trip to Park City with shopping at the Outlet Mall. We had a great time visiting some of the galleries on Historic Main street. The owners and even some of the artists were there talking about the art they were selling.

Melanie invited Brina and Alora to come along.

We dropped Tyler off at the Airport to catch a shuttle back to Logan on our way home.

Christmas Day

 It was our latest start to Christmas Day ever.  Melanie didn't get up until about 10:30am. Of course, she didn't have a lot of surprises, after picking out most of her gifts herself. The donut tights were a happy surprise.

 Jessica and Clayton came after attending their 9am church. We had a big waffle and Ebelskizer Breakfast.

 Opening gifts from under the tree.

 All of our children, including Clayton came to our ward to sing with the ward choir. I loved it.

 After church, we left for Neola.

The kids spent a lot of time downstairs playing their new Christmas games.

Christmas Eve

 The Atkisson's set a pretty table. The homemade chocolate was a delicious touch.

 We did the most important things first, opened gifts.

 Dinner of Soup, bread and Mac and Cheese

Kara, Ashlyn, Melanie, Kim Conrad, Connie, Tyler, Megan, Emily

Matthew, Sarah, Warren, Rosanne, Graigry, Clayton, Jessica

Mary, Warren, and David

 Playing Qwelf, the board game

 After the game we had an impromptu music program. Melanie accompanied as we sang Christmas carols and there were group numbers.

 Clayton, Jessica, and Connie

 Kara and Ashlyn

Warren 

Then we acted out the Nativity Story. Jessica and Clayton were Mary and Joseph 

Emily was the Angel

 

 Megan was the donkey

We ended the evening with Christmas Karaoke.

An Early Christmas Dinner at home

We wanted to get our kids together for a Christmas dinner. We had ham and sweet potatoes and red potatoes and corn with some Martinelle's to drink and Jello cake for dessert. Melanie, Warren, Andrea, Graig, Jessica, Clayton, and Bethany. After dinner we went to a Christmas Fireside with an Island flair.

Ward Christmas Party

Warren and I attended the Ward Christmas Party as a party of two; all of our children were off other places. They had a nice dinner and the Primary children did a nice program where they acted out the nativity story.

UCAS Choir Concert

 No surprise, Melanie was a featured singer in the flirty Christmas song, "Text Me Merry Christmas"

 The UCAS choir is all volunteer and the kids very little credit for participating. It is all for the love of music. 

Gingerbread House

Terrance came and attended church with the girls.  After dinner they got out their Gingerbread House kit.