We had a very busy and fun January. Here's the month in pics:
Our annual neighborhood New Year's bowling/Wii party
A trip home for my dad's 60th birthday party
Brad and I flew down solo to surprise my dad at a big party my mom organized. It was so much fun to be together with the original Palmer crew for a few days. We visited, ate out, rode around on Mark's razor, then ate out some more. It is always relaxing and nostalgic to go home. I am so grateful for the good, kind, and funny people I am fortunate enough to share DNA with.
My mom planned a really fun party for my dad - including his dearest friends and family, delicious hawaiian bbq, John Deere themed decor, and some darling singers who sang some his favorites.
This trip also turned out to be really special for me because it was the last time I would get to see and visit with my amazing Aunt Mellani. I specifically remember I helped her out to her car after the party. I hugged her tight and told her I loved her and to hang in there. I knew it was likely I wouldn't see her again and it broke my heart for lots of reasons but at the top of the list is on behalf of her kids and husband. My strong, good, sweet, kind cousins are too young to lose her, it's not fair. She was such a special lady and my words cannot do her justice. I think about her often and the way she lived her religion and the impact that made on so many, including me, throughout my life.
Here's my dad's whole crew - my dad, his dad, and all his siblings and their spouses.
I also got to be with my Grandma Setlow on her special day - she had my Uncle Jeff's family, Aunt Michelle, Great Grandma Stokes and my family over for a lovely meal. It was so nice to catch up - I don't see these crazy folks often enough!
Later in the month we celebrated the 6th birthday of miss Susan Jane.
Susan
Journal Alert:
Susan is such a beautiful, sweet, kind, talented, creative, hardworking little girl. When she was two years old, she was so very sassy and loud and busy. I thought she would challenge me every hour of every day. She was constantly reinventing trouble, but man she was the cutest. It saved her. Three was similar, four was a little better. She only changed her clothes seven times a day instead of seventeen. By five she was much more well rounded and I was only left with her peed in pants every day to remind me of her former super naughty, but adorable self. Now's she six and her sweet, accommodating, creative, loving, nurturing little self astounds me. When I describe her to friends or family I always say, "she's like a Disney character" - and by that I mean, she sings and floats around with a smile and gleam in her eye. I adore having her in every situation and my heart is breaking to have her at school ALL DAY LONG next year. I want to pull back the reigns and just keep her six forever. I love you so much my little birthday girl.
Susan got to have a friend party this year at Kangaroo Zoo, a big inflatable jumping place. She also got to go to Build a Bear and loves her Snowflake bunny. She loved her big day!
Christmas lights with the Babbel's and Rose's
We don't see our Texas cousins often enough, we love when they come to town.
Susan's Ballet Recital
Susan's did an awesome job at her recital this year and new every step. She had Arden's best buddy Lexi in her class and they had so much fun in Miss Silver's class. She is part of Ballet West so the girls look up to her so much.
Pirate and Princess Day at Juby's Preschool:
Girls Ski Day with Aunts Suzanne and Lisa, and cousins Emma and Rachel
We had so much fun skiing Solitude with these darling girls! I'm thrilled these girls have each other and they all like to ski. It makes the winter bearable.
Arden and Susan's Art Contest at School
Susan turned in her beautiful chalk art from art camp and it got first place!
Arden wrote a cute story about Christmas morning and she also got first place!