I love Sunday dinner.  When all my kids come and I have my Mother and brother Steven I cook dinner for 25 people.  It is lots of work, but I love having my family together and it unifies us  It is a tradition that many families have in the United States and I love that it is a tradition in my family.  Here are a few pictures of todays family dinner.  Every thing is cleaned up and we are all watching the Oscars.  It was Emma's birthday Sunday Dinner today.  She is 9, swims, plays the violin and piano, and plays soccer.  Here is a picture of Emma.  There is a picture of some of the family playing and watching TV.  These are the best of times.

The last two nights have been spent watching a couple of my Grandkids do amazing things.  On Thursday Hailey was  in a programs.  It was a patriotic programs.  They sang, repeated the Gettysburg address, the Preamble to the Constitution. It was amazing, but the best was our little Hailey singing every word of her songs.  Then tonight I went to a dance competition with Chandler.  She is a beautiful little dancer and won

a crown, trophy, and medal.  Wow.  But this is just what I have been seeing the last two days.  Next week Savannah dances at UVSU and Jason's kid swim again in a state meet.  What I am saying my grandkids can completely fill my social life with their activities.  Here are a few pictures I took.

This little lady has spent a lot of time at my house lately.  Her Mom can't lift her for 6 weeks, so I get to help every day.  It is busy, but Dennis and I were talking about how we were going to miss her when her Mom could lift her again and started staying home more.  I get to pick the other kids up from school most days.  I am going to miss them also. Some of the other kids visit more because Jesse's kids are here. My home will get really quiet when this is all over.  I guess I will study more.  That is not near as fun as a home full of kids.  (even if it is a little messy)

The cloud finally gave my laptop pictures of Afton's (Grandma Harding) 100th birthday party.  Leighton got to come, because Jessica was still in the hospital.  She was really good and the only child there.  Afton had a little cake.  Not worthy of the wonderful lady she is and her 100th birthday party, but we did exactly what she told us she wanted.  No fuss, just her kids, and a little birthday cake.  She was really cute.  She ate really well and enjoyed her food and her kids.  She sat next to Leighton and just loved her.  This is an amazing women to me.

Last few weeks.

Grandma Harding-now 100 years old.

The last two weeks have been hard.  Jessica got really sick.  It scared me to death.  She had a blockage in her intestines and a hole  She had surgery, was in the ICU for four days, and in the hospital for 11 days.  It almost broke my heart.  I didn't want to see her so sick, in pain, and have to go through what she went through.  I am so thankful that she survived and has started to get her strength back.  I am so thankful for this blessing.  She is sweet but tough and I am thankful for that.  In the middle of it all Afton turned 100.  We had a little dinner at sizzler for her 100th birthday.  It was nice.  I was tending leighton so she got to come to her great grandmas 100th birthday party.  We were going to have a big party, but she told us no.  I was going to have a dinner at my home, but we got too busy with Jessica so sick so we went to Sizzler.  Here are some pictures.  This is Jessica after she got out of the ICU.  So glad she got unhooked from all the wires and tubes.

We finally took family pictures again.  We had to get the four grandchildren that have joined our family since the last time we took pictures.  It was amazing we could all get there to have them done.  Joseph (my second to oldest grandchild) didn't feel well that day and hadn't eaten.  He fainted during the Grandchildren group.  That made it a picture to remember for sure.  Looking at my family together reminds me how blessed we are.  My treasures are all in the pictures.  I am thankful that I have been taught to value my family above every earthly treasure.  Here are the new pictures.

last few days

The last week I got to be the lucky grandma that tended my grandkids and their Golden Retriever named Yankee.  It was fun, but so busy.  I kept thinking how I possibly worked and raised four kids and am still alive today.  On Sunday we celebrated two birthdays.  Then I started thinking how did I ever have a birthday, how did I have birthdays and raise four kids.  Here are some pictures.  I should have taken pictures of the messes, because now I am not a young Mom with daily messes, I really think they are kind of funny.  Next time!