Happy 13th to Calvin!

Happy 13th to this boy - a teenager - I remember when he looked like this!!

Love that boy - looking forward to our visit next month!!

Enjoy your day - and the year ahead!

Happy day to Calvin!!

 Today is Calvin's 11th birthday!  It seems like he was just a baby!!

He is a thoughtful young man - always has been!

 

But he is a lot of fun to be around!

 

He and Porter share a birth month - and sometimes get to spend time together!!

 

It's always a treat to spend time with him and his family!!

Have a great day Calvin - and a wonderful year ahead!!

Belated Birthday Greetings to our own Calvin Hyer - now in the double digits!!

Oddly enough, the reason I didn't get a birthday post done for Calvin in time was that I was in Oregon with him for his birthday!!

It was a fun and memorable 10th birthday.  He had a championship football game - and his team won!  Then we went shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods - and had quite the experience. Calvin gives new meaning to the term "speed shopping!"  After that we went to Henry's game - by then the wind was howling and the temperature was dropping - and a couple of transformers blew!  No power for about 9 hours.

But Henry's team won too - and we took Calvin out to dinner - then came home and opened gifts by candlelight!

Calvin is a great kid - and we loved spending the week with him - and being able to help him celebrate his special day!!

Calvin's Baptism

The journey began with Phoebe picking us up at PDX - in a Snow White costume!!  When we walked into our bed and breakfast with her, I believe the hostess was a little amazed - maybe wondering about these guests she'd waited up for!!  Only Phoebe could have pulled it off with such aplomb!!

We were delighted that Dana and Andy were able to join us!

 

And Brett, Ari and Norah too.

 

Always happy to see the MacDowells - we find it amazing that two friends from Monrovia have moved to Lake Oswego!!

 

Phoebe's neighbor and good friend Laila once again played a flute interlude for our listening pleasure while the "boys" got dried off and dressed.

 

Mary, the wonderful upstairs neighbor happily came - as you can see by her smile.  What a great neighbor she is - Mr. Rogers would be proud!!

 

The star attraction with his proud mama and papa!!

 

The Fillmore grandparents.

 

The Terrill grandparents.

 

We went to Red Robin for dinner after - and the staff came out with songs and ice cream in Calvin's honor - and a "birthday hat" they'd scrounged up!!   There is something pretty funny about a coffee filter party hat for a Mormon baptism celebration!!

It rained the whole time we were there - but that didn't dampen our spirits.  Henry still managed to throw the winning touchdown at his game that day.  And Agnes' team won too.  (I stayed home while Sully napped - tough duty - good thing I had the new Grisham novel to keep me company!!)

We also got to see Romney and Mary Sue, and I saw my old pal from Grenoble days - Joan Browning - who lives in Phoebe's ward.

The weekend was full of rain, car rides to and fro, games, several rounds of Golf, lots of good food, and the pleasure of one another's company!!

Looking forward to the holidays and more good times together.  In the meantime, "thanks for the memories!!"

(And Harry and I discovered a charming bed and breakfast in Milwaukee - just over the bridge from Phoebe - we will have to explore the grounds there on another visit - hopefully when it does not rain!!  We got a place to stay since Pam and Denny were at Phoebe's - and Harry got the idea to check out a b and b - glad he did -it was fun!!)

More later -

Harry and I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Oregon for Calvin's baptism.  Here we are last night having a rousing round of Golf - it's always fun at the Fillmores!!

I did take photos - a number of them actually - and we saw an amazing number of folks for such a short jaunt.  I did not really get enough "family" time - but we take what we can get!!

Like I said before, more later - for now it's time to find something to eat in this house - something that doesn't require a lot of time and effort to prepare.

Happy 7th to Calvin!

I haven't seen Calvin since "Cousin Camp" this summer!! And I miss him! He's a wonderful little boy - who's getting to be quite a big boy - maybe I can't call him little anymore!!

He sure was a cute little guy when he was younger!! And I guess I shouldn't be calling him cute anymore - maybe it's time for handsome!!

We love you Calvo and wish you a happy, happy day!!

A peek at the week - so far!

Tuesday found us saying good-bye to Phoebe, Calvin, and Sully. They brought lunch to me at school - it was certainly fun to introduce them around!! And it was great to have lunch brought to me!

Then Tuesday afternoon, I picked Eve up at her piano lesson so that we could finally finish out our "Grandma's Birthday Sleepover." We both have pretty crazy schedules, so we've kind of been doing it piecemeal. A couple of Saturdays ago we went for manicures. And Tuesday we went shopping!! Afterward, we met up with Grandpa at Mimi's and had a great dinner.

Tuesday night, Eve wanted to do her mask project that is due Friday. She was pretty insistent, and we were pretty resourceful, so we found stuff around the house that would work. Her book was about the young Eleanor Roosevelt, so this is our interpretation of her!

We didn't have any yellow yarn, so we made her a brunette! And I think she enjoyed sleeping in the bouncing chair!

It was fun to once again have hair to fix, a lunch to pack, and waffles to make for breakfast!! Eve was excited to get to school a bit early even - "Now I can play before school," she said.

One of the great blessings in my life is our wonderful grandchildren - when I dropped her off at school, Eve said, "I love you Grandma!"

Charles Dickens once said, "It is no small thing when children, who are so fresh from God, love us."

He's right you know!

The weekend winds down -

Like all good things, this great visit with Phoebe, Calvin, and Sully is drawing to a close. We have thoroughly enjoyed having them here - and it will be eerily quiet when they go!!

Dad doing Grandpa duty on Saturday night. Phoebe had her reunion - and enjoyed connecting with old friends from high school and the neighborhood.

Sully had his moments - but he has so many charming moments that we are happy for the trade-off!

Sunday was the family birthday celebration for Calvin - and I tried to get shots of everyone.

Greg, Milea, and Kevin joined us - as did Noah.

Heather came out with her kids - Steve was at a Chargers' game.

Frances was here for the weekend, so that was a plus.

Dawn - ever the hostess with the mostess!! And Isla, trying out some new faces!!

Madison and Ember - and while posting this I figured out that I didn't get a shot of Scarlett!!

Mary came - and enjoyed her time with baby Sully.

Grandma Helen joined us - along with the Bolanders.

Bruce and the charming Miss Ella - with her lovely crimped hair!! The Bolander Beauties just get prettier and prettier, don't they??

Our own Miz Phoebe - always makes a party more fun!

Aunt Donna - still the favorite aunt!

Oh those ferocious little scalawags - they chose this pose!!

I had to leave early to speak at a Young Marrieds' Fireside in our stake, but got in on a great meal and a chance to say hi to everyone.

Always finding the babies to hold!

Hmm - like mother, like daughter!! Those beautiful Bolander women again!

Harry and Phoebe - reliving the old days!!

Miss Isla has discovered climbing the stairs!

Celebration and singing time - shy Calvin!!

Quite a crowd to sing to him - he did the honors in fine style.

Monday - Calvin's actual b-day - found them at Disneyland.

Bonny did the babysitting duties.

Harry and the boys joined them after school - luckily we are on an early schedule this week.

Fun rides!!

Calvin - and Porter - got picked for Jedi training!!

And Mr. Sully got his First Disneyland Visit badge!!

The end of the day - and the end of the "Six Days of Calvin" birthday gifts from us - the chisel - so he could crack open one of his geodes!

It is always fun to have big family gatherings. And it is always fun to visit everyone. But it's especially enjoyable to have kids and grandkids here in the house to just enjoy on a "regular day" basis - pouring the Corn Chex, folding the baby laundry, fixing lunches, chatting into the night, having prayers together, soothing a fussy baby.

Come again soon!!