Family Celebrates 60

We had a special celebration for Mom's birthday the following weekend after her actual day.

Carissa and Eliana flew in for it on Wednesday. Noah dropped everything when he first saw Eliana, and said, "Can I hold her?" He didn't even give me a chance to love on her first...he loves his baby cousin. She has grown so much since Christmas!

And on Thursday, Carissa provided a birthday meal, using the birthday gift she gave...a raclette grill. It was very tasty! Special cheeses melted and poured over veggies, chicken, shrimp, bread...oooh, so good.

Friday, we left for The Barn, a bed & breakfast near Topeka in the early afternoon. We left in two groups..so the ones that had work/school could come a couple hours later. This bed & breakfast is quite large. There were 20 rooms, all various sizes and I think 5 different levels, including a basement. There were several different sitting areas and a ping pong/TV area in the basement and a huge hit was the indoor pool and hot tub. It was very accommodating, and we were the only ones there for the majority of the time. 

After breakfast on Saturday, we all went to Lawrence just to look around a bit. We went to a large fabric store and a three story toy store...I think Mom was equally excited about both (probably even more about the toy store!). It was a beautiful day. We ate lunch at Minsky's, a pizza place..GOOD pizza.

More pool and hot tub time. And of course we played games in the evening.

In the evening, they had some different lights in the hot tub area. That was a FULL hot tub.

We played Nickels...and Brent/Dad/Mitch/Alyssa played Rook.

 We had some sleepy passengers on the way home, Sunday.

Sunday evening, we got a few more snuggles in with Eliana and Carissa (maybe not snuggling, but playing games with her).

 We all love you Mom.

Hopefully you had wonderful 60th birthday celebrations!

Dad's Party

We had one more surprise for Dad to celebrate his 60th. 

We all very quickly dispersed from the work day to go home and get ready for his next party. 

We had a pizza party at John & Chris's, including all of us and Mom & Dad's small group. He realized the location, but didn't know who was celebrating with him. It was a fun time, other than the very cool weather/wind..we enjoyed celebrating his 60th one last time! The grandkids and we kids both sang the same song we did on Sunday...and then Carissa had put together a very nice slide show to very fitting music covering the past 60 years. 

I wish the pictures I took weren't so blurry...but that's what they are, and I wanted to remember the evening regardless!

Christian and I on the way there...ready to PARTY!

We sang Happy Birthday as he walked in...

I had to get a picture of 2 of my 3 handsomes..Jonah was wrapped in a blanket most of the evening, but underneath he was all decked out, including a tie :)

Dad...

You are loved. You are special. You are worthy of being celebrated for sure.

So grateful for your 60 years...and looking forward to the many, many more to come.

I love you. Happy Birthday, Dad.

Work Day

As a gift for Dad's 60th birthday, we all had a work day for him on Saturday.

 Landscaping, putting up walls/ceiling in the pool house, painting the windmill/putting it up, and weeding the strawberries were the main projects we worked on. And there was also a very fancy "coffee break" provided by Mom...delicious monkey bread and coffee, as well as a grilled lunch. 

I'd say we all had a productive and good work day.

Tim and Carissa worked on planting the plants around the pool.

Our "break"...it was pretty windy out all day, but the sun was nice!

 The kids wanted to help too...so they raked up grass clippings.

It is so cute to watch them all work together.

Ben and Brent worked on the pool house.

 Mitch painted the tips of the windmill, and then put it up outside.

When we all work together, together, together,

When we all work together how happy we'll be!

I like working together,

whether it be right along side or just knowing we're all doing something in the name of the same cause. It's fun....I think anyway. (I guess by the looks of it, I wasn't working...ha. I helped with some planting and weeding.)

Happy 60th Dad!

Easter and a Surprise

He Is RISEN!

We have so much to celebrate and be grateful for this Easter.

These three handsome fellas were mighty excited about dressing extra fancy for Easter.

Jonah's first Easter!

After church, we went to Mom and Dad's for an Easter meal. Carissa & Tim's family all flew in to surprise Dad...both for Easter, and for his birthday (which isn't for a couple weeks). They arrived Saturday evening, and thoroughly surprised him! 

An additional surprise for Dad was having his family that lives in KS come to have a pre 60th Birthday party at noon on Easter. He had quite the surprises going on.

They had quite the bright cake by the time all 60 candles were lit!

We had a couple special songs (written by Carissa)...

the grandchildren sang one, and we children sang one.

He was also given a book, compiled of letters/notes/pictures from various family and friends from past to present. He's a pretty special guy...so hopefully he felt how loved he is!

Before Grandma and Grandpa Sweigart, Cindy & Jim, and Mary Ann had to leave..we were able to take a few pictures outside. It was rather chilly and windy.

Ben was being the 'Easter bunny' for the kids to look at...oh my...I don't know as if he'll switch careers, but it was pretty entertaining anyway!

Four Generations

The four youngest grandchildren had matching outfits...they were so handsome.

Later in the afternoon, we had our tradition Easter egg hunt...by Mom and Dad outside.

We had a very fun filled day.

Remembering Christ's love for us...giving the ultimate gift of eternal salvation.

And adding on an additional celebration of Dad's 60 years of life..

we have much to be thankful for!

We love you Dad!