the last of the pictures

Flowers from the farmer's market yesterday:

Kayak adventure

The ride home

Onward. September approaches.  Nothing but love, Val

end of august

It as a beautiful weekend. Here's a pic of Alicia and her mom staining chairs.

Look alikes:

Birthdays, Dan and Heidi's shared birthday was celebrated, best we can in a pandemic.  I cooked a huge amount of chicken divan. Someone asked me about the rice, how much rice. I told him, "Twenty one cups."  TWENTY ONE CUPS.  Yes.  We have some left over, but not that much.

There are children who are disturbed by this menu item--the broccoli, the curry powder, no. They will even wave a little hand in front of their face in disgust.  That's fine.  More for the rest of us.

There they are together:

Cake and caramel swirl ice cream all around. What a lovely night.

 Happy Birthday you guys, 

So much love, Mom and Dad and Everybody

happy birthday, heidi

 It was a fun day with gifts and lunch.

And that delicious, fancy cake.

Here are a few from a long time ago, and these pictures remind me again about how we had chosen the name Jennifer Michelle for you, a very pretty girl's name, and then you were born, and surprise, surprise, you looked like a close personal relative, like family, and we named you Heidi Jo instead.

I dressed my babies like dolls, so much fun, including the boys, pretty sweaters, corduroy booties, dress shirts and pants, and here you are, dressed up even to the red, shiny shoes.  When you girls had hair, satin bows included.

Anyway, 36 years of loving you?

This whole family is better with you in it, including every last little brother and sister.

So much love, Heidi, and Happy Birthday,

Love Mom and Dad and Everybody

happy birthday, dan

Here you are at 18, a beautiful teenager giving Maria a ride. (Click on the pics to see them properly.)

Tonight I grabbed a random photo album looking for pictures of you.  Well.  Your face was everywhere.  You used to live here.   These are from your twelfth birthday party:

In this one you're about your daughter's age.

Christmas, 1985

 

This one made me snicker--He Man toys, blanky, magazines ripped up by your baby sister, tv set with a dial we spun to click through channels

This one from now, already a year old, all the squirrels who inhabit your life.  I love them.

Thanks for coming to this family and being mine, being ours.   We love you beyond all sense.

Happy Birthday, Dan

Love, Mom and Dad

dan skiing

All done

 And that was a boat ride late Sunday afternoon.

Love, Val aka Grandma