Dream Vacation part 2

Venice was awesome but very crowded.  It was neat to see the canals and gondolas. 

Happy 40th Anniversary to my husband Lynn.

A Dream Vacation - Starts with A Cruise on the Adriatic Sea

I'll have to post my pictures one port at a time, it will take me a while so be patient.

Lynn and I landed in Germany on Saturday, June 26th.  Kelly was there to meet us and we immediately drove to her home and picked up the rest of the family.  We stayed over night in Innsbruck, Austria.  All of you might not know but Lynn buys me a ring in each new country we visit.  I ended up with 5 rings this trip.  What a beautiful place Austria is.  The Alps are amazing.

This is Lynn in front of the resturant where we ate dinner. 

 

Family Reunion and Mom's Surprise 80th Birthday Party

Our family reunion was awesome.  Lynn and I just got home from our trip to Europe on Friday night at 11:00 pm on July 16th and we left the next day for the reunion.  We siblings planned a surprise birthday party for my mother who turned 80 on July 16th.  This is the first time in quite a while that all the siblings have been together.  It was loads of fun and Mom really got teary eyed during the celebration.  Nancy wrote a song about mom that went to the tune of the Brady Bunch TV show and Janet came up with the game, "Who Said That".  Janet would quote one of us telling something that Mom or Grandma always said to them and Mom would have to guess which kid or grandkid said it.  Mom's reaction to Janet's story was priceless but you'll have to ask her for the details.  Here are the words to Nancy's song.  (sorry about the pictures lining up so crazy, I don't know how to fix that)

A Lovely Lady

(Sung to the theme from The Brady Bunch)

There’s a story, of a lovely lady,

Who eloped one day with a very handsome dude.

They were married by, a drunken preacher,

They then began their brood.

Soon six children, made up the family,

They made havoc almost everywhere they went.

Adding pounds and lots of gray hair to this mother,

Still she claimed that everyone was heaven sent.

Heaven sent,

Oh, Heaven sent,

She still claims that all of us were heaven sent.

She cheered louder than the other mothers,

Embarrassed kids would look the other way.

She could dance the jitter bug like no other,

Kept um laughing every day.

Played piano like she was a novice,

And her golf game was just about the same.

But her cooking should have won some prizes,

Burnt food will always be her claim to fame.

Her claim to fame,

Her claim to fame,

Burnt food will always be her claim to fame.

As the years went by this lady went bananas,

Movie starlet status was her goal.

Then she tried to make it with her pompoms,

But younger bodies stole the show.

Now this story of a lovely lady,

Isn’t over yet, there’s way much more to come.

Even though she’s at the ripe old age of eighty,

Mary Lou will always be forever young.

Forever young,

Forever young,

Mary Lou will always be forever young.

Mom opening some birthday cards

Nancy and her Grandson Austin

Time to eat

Bob and Janet in the Kitchen

Watching the Birthday Presentation

Peter came solo - Chelsey was studying for the Bar exam

Wendy in the Kitchen

All the Siblings and spouses

My sons-in-law, Ryan & Roger cooking

Mom had her cane ready in case anyone got out of line

Mom and Dad - Still Sweethearts

Bring on the food

All here together for Mom's 80th Birthday

Birthday Cake

Dani, Nica and Britti giving cards to GiGi

Julie and Granddaughter Caitlin and Janet's guy, Dave

Gi Gi reading her birthday cards

What a fine group we are.

Longmore Girls Excel

Grace and Lauryn earned reading awards at their school.  Grace reads well above her just completed 4th grade school level.  Lauryn was just tested and while she has just finished the 1st grade she is reading between a 4th and 5th grade level.  Grace also won out of all the 4th grade in writing an essay on the new park just built on the military base.  Josh, of course, is just thrilled for his sisters achievements.  He is doing just great in his pre-school. 

Utah Summer Games Gold Medal Winner!

Dani's soccer team went to the Utah Summer Games in Cedar City, Utah and they came away with the Gold Medal!!! Way to go Dani!   (She is the one in white)  Dani and Britti were involved in a track and field program for a few weeks.  They ended the program with a track meet and Dani took 1st place in the 400.

Planting Flowers and making S mores on the BBQ

We all got pretty dirty getting the flowers into the ground but it was pretty satisfying to look out over the front yard and see all the flowers.  Lynn and Brian added the rock to the flower garden directly in front of our home.  Then we had a BBQ.  Ryan and girls made S' mores on the BBQ for all who wanted one.

Britti and Oma's Sleepover

Britti, Nica and Dani made little stepping stones to put in their flower garden at home as their art project at our sleepover.  Britti did really well on her art project at school. She also had fun at my sleepover wearing the foam pads that we use for their beds.  For our sleepover we went to see the movie, Shrek then went out to dinner.  Made our stepping stones, went swimming, planted flowers and had a BBQ.  Wow!

Kindergarten Graduation for Nica

The Kindergarten put on a fantastic program last Friday.  Nica really did a great job.  She not only had her part memorized but several of the other kids parts as well.  She knew the words and actions to every song.  I loved the song they did to the tune of New York, New York.  In stead of saying New York, New York they used the words FIRST GRADE, FIRST GRADE.  Nica is well and truely ready for the first Grade.  Way to go Nica.