Baby baby!

Well! It hasn't been quite a year since I've had these pictures loaded and waiting for some journaling! Not even 3/4 of a year, but close. My, how time flies!

Ashley Taylor was born the middle of July. Annie was supposed to attend the delivery, but neither she nor the midwife was present to assist. Daddy to the rescue! So Annie got the first hold while I was getting comfy in bed.

Ashley weighed in at 9 pounds 1 ounce.

Mama's birthday, 16 days later. Impromptu photos taken by the Henderson grandparents after a grilled chicken and lemon lush b'day supper.

Too sleepy and warm to watch his sisters in the county fair tractor pull. Big sis Meg placed 1st in her age bracket!

Two Girlie Birthdays

They picked their cakes; they picked their menus.

One girl turned ELEVEN, the other SEVEN!

They even set the table to their liking...

Truth be known: This giant Hershey kiss was purchased for a gift, but some little teeth discovered it and nibbled off the top! What can we do with a child-tampered chocolate? Centerpiece a cake and cover the bite with icing and a red hot! That was Caroline's idea.

Stromboli...one with crescent dough, one with whole wheat sourdough.

Cora's choice...

 Breakfast burritos and hash browns.

Happy Birthday sweet blessings!

Eklutna Tailrace Fishing and Milestone Birthdays ~Alaska Trip Day 27

Solely youth salmon fishing was between these two orange flags at the beginning of the river. We had a slow, chilly morning with few nibbles. Fishing from 6 a.m.-7:30 a.m. could have been a challenge for our family, but the excitement ran high, and with friends, the earliness didn't even matter! Nikita pulled in a silver, but it was snagged, not hooked in the mouth, so back in it went.

foggy morning on the Knik

Saturday night was our multi-birthday celebration. Milestone birthdays included Fred: 70 years, Shane & Shannon: 40 years, Nikita & Riley :16 years, Annie: 14 years, and Brandy: 13 years. Freddie, the patriarch got special treatment, serenaded with an oldie goldie tune in honor of his hoary head. He also received a large pile of birthday cards (nearly 60) his friends & family mailed out ahead of time.

Elder Chief Freddie well-pleased with his significant stack.

The pizza, chips, pop, chocolate-peanut butter cake, & ice cream were a yummy treat, but the real delight was hearing from loved ones who care. Thanks everybody for showering them with cards and taking time to send a blessing to these 3 men!                Happy Birthday ya'll!

Montana to Radium Hot Springs, BC ~Alaska Trip Day 5

Fifth day on the road...Heather's birthday! It started out with a nice breakfast and farewell at Uncle Danny's, then a beautiful drive in northern Montana up to the Canadian border. (We made a quick stop at Chad's mechanic shop, but were disappointed to miss Sally this run through.) Flathead Lake water was sparkling on the sunny warm day.

These cute mountain towns reminded me of the touristy areas in Colorado and the Smokey Mountains: beautiful flowers, beautiful views, cute shops, eclectic eateries, and ice cream!

A windshield photo of the road close to our border crossing in Roosville.

I have never been to Canada, so this is a fantastic birthday treat!

Bull River in Wardner, BC.

Fort Steele, BC

We pulled into a lookout over Columbia Lake for a lovely supper spot. A finer dining atmosphere couldn't be found at any fancy Italian bistro!