Libbie Turns 9 Hawaiian Style

Libbie wanted a Hawaiian Luau for her birthday party.  She invited a bunch of cute girls to come over and celebrate with her.  They were all given a grass skirt and lei when they arrived.  First, they played keep the balloons in the air.

Then they all got their nails painted and fun stickers put on them.

Even Josh helped with painting fingernails.

Then they had  a hula hoop contest.

They learned how to hula from a video on TV.  It was Going to a Hukilau, it brought back memories of Kwajalein, where I learned to hula.

Next, it was outside for a water balloon toss.

She had a cute cake that was the ocean and the sandy beach.  So fun and tasty!

Then they each had to draw two animals on a card.

They put them all together and shuffled them up and then passed each girl one.  Without looking at them, they put them on their head and had to try to figure out what animal they had by asking questions to the other girls.  It was very funny!

Before Libbie could open her gift, whoever gave it to her had to say something in a funny voice and she had to guess who it was.  Those girls had some REALLY FUNNY VOICES!

They did the limbo

Before they left they had cake and ice cream.  What a fun party!!!

Out with the old cherry floor, in with the new hickory floor.

Jamie and Zack (his awesome brother in law came over to tear out our old floors.  It was a ton of work and we sure appreciate them!

Abbie was there to help too.

Hailey helped pull out the staples.

The floor installers were here Friday and Saturday.

They turned my patio into a wood shop.

We are LOVING our new Hickory floors!

Memorial Day 2015

This was our first Memorial Day without mom being there with us.  Last year, we came to the cemetery with her, and less than a month later, we were back there burying her.

We had quite a group there!  Krista, Josh, and Jamie and their families came, Lani, Dad, Jeff, Jenn, Kathy, Ric, Cierra and her family, Chandler and Carissa.  Darlene and David and Mike were there too.

Jamie and Emily brought pink balloons for the girls to send a message to Gigi.  They also brought bubbles for them to blow like they did at the funeral.

We love you Gig!

Dad with Cierra, Riley, and Lucy (smiling for Smarties)

Kathy, Ric, Dad Chandler and Carissa

Lots of visiting

3 cute little girl cousins Kelsi, Gabbie and Lucy

Chandler

Me and Sophie

Merijane and Jack

Jeff, Jen, Jamie and Emily

Mike Brown, and one of his friends, Dad and David 

I was so glad that everyone could come at the same time.  It was so good to all be together.

Remodel continues!

We were able to get ahold of a contractor that lives close by us to come and tell us what we were going to need to do about putting in a beam.  He walked into our house and asked us who told us that the wall was a load bearing wall.  He was pretty sure that it wasn't.  He went up into our attic and found out that he was right.  It WASN'T a load bearing wall and we could just tear it down!

Before we went to bed that night, Mike had it down!

Wooo Hooo!

Then he closed in the doorway to my kitchen, so this if the view from my front door.

Next he patched up the hole in the ceiling from the wall.

He let me do a little sanding after it was all taped and mudded.

Josh taped and mudded the ceiling for us.

He also took the rock off our fireplace.

It was quite the job, but he had it done in no time.

Mike and dad were there to make sure he did it right!

All ready for a new look.

Jamie told us about Kirk Olsen, ( a friend of his and Josh's) who grew up in our ward, and has a business of making fireplace mantles.  We went to his showroom and fell in love with this one.  The guys from Comfort Solutions are coming to put the gas fireplace in on Wed. and Kirk will come and measure to make the new mantle after the fireplace is in.  Here is the finished fireplace and wood floor.  It is gorgeous!

Heber Valley Girls Camp

Saturday, we had Krista's girls and we took Lani and Dad with us and went to check out the Heber Valley girls camp where we will be having our Birks Family Reunion in June.

We will be staying at the Marjorie Pay Hinckley site.

We have 4 cabins that are all the same and right by each other.  They each have 16 beds.

The girls were picking out which ones they wanted to sleep on.

There are 2 fridges and some shelves in a little storage room.

They have 2 camp stoves with griddles to cook up our bacon and pancakes for breakfast.

8 large tables for eating on.

An awesome firepit for roasting marshmallows for somores.

2 bathrooms with flushing toilets.

Two showers.

Here are a couple of the cabins and the bathrooms.

The amphitheater is a little hike to get to, but not tooooo far.

It has a fun stage.

It looks like it is going to be just perfect for a GREAT TIME!  We can't wait!!!