Dad's 64th birthday---March 23, 2014

Dad's 64th birthday was Sunday, March 23, 2014!  He and I partied the 

day before by going out to lunch at the Golden Corral and enjoying 

 "Big River", a musical based on the life of Huck Finn at the Hale Theater.

On his actual birthday, sleeping in was not an
option as he had Bishopric's meeting at 6:30 a.m. 

BUT---we partied later in the day!!!

FUN OUTSIDE:  It was a lovely Spring day!

 Dad is trying out one of the new rubber band helicopters we found at Harbor Freight.

He has already decided they need a new design and is working on it! :)

We also got to fly the new 72 inch wing span Macaw! 

 It was more difficult than you might expect as the wind was choppy.

Neldon was the flight technician. 

 Hayden ran so fast he produced his own wind.

 This is Grandpa pushing his girls.

"Swing me super high, Grandpa!" 

 Haylie!

 Neldon put in a full-time shift for a while. 

We tried out the new badminton net we got at the DI in St. George for $2.00!

Brenda gives Kaleb a lesson on serving. 

Aunt Andrea and Hayden made a good team. 

 Of course there were some ladder ball competitions.

Neldon's perfect form was captured!

This is the cool Abu Garcia Silver Max pole I got on 

clearance at Walmart with the help of an older avid fisherman.  

This pole is made in Switzerland.  Grandpa got fishing line for it. 

 Here's Grandpa practicing his casting.

FUN INSIDE:

Dallin enjoyed the toys Grandpa and Grandma got for Christmas.

 

Andrea proved she's still "got it" with a short birthday performance for Dad. 

No party is complete without a piece of green clay pizza!

 Present time!  The kids were as excited about the card they brought Grandpa as he was.

This is the card! Evidence suggests that some older-aged men are not immune.  The

 inside read something like: "Aging is not optional, but growing up is still a choice."

Dad is listening to the Smiths sing their own version of the  "Happy Birthday"
song as he inspects the fishing reel, toilet paper holder sent by the Shirleys. 

 

Grandpa had lots of presents and lots of help.

He liked all his gifts, partly because he picked most
 of them out himself at Harbor Freight.:) 

Grandpa reads the label of his birthday countdown gift.  It read:

                                       This bottle is a countdown especially for you--
                                       To help you count down every day until the next year’s through.

                                       Faithfully eat just one small treat---each day until they’re spent.

                                       Then you will be age 65!  Your reward? RETIREMENT ”

There were 365 pink sixlets in a bottle.
 ( I know because I counted them!) 

  Dad chose apple crisp as his "birthday cake."

 Grandpa and Haylie are singing  "Happy Birthday" together.

 Haylie anticipates the BIG BLOW while Grandpa makes his wish. 

 Let the blowing begin.

Aunt Brendie had a great idea to fill the cone with apple crisp 

and top it with ice cream.  It was a bit of a balancing act as you can see.

But it was so worth the effort! Hayden's plain ole cone is the photo bomb! 

Tyler and Aunt Andrea had to wrestle for a few minutes at the end. Tyler

was more than a handful, especially with Andrea in a dress.  She learned 

some new moves she wished she had known when Malea was at home. 

 Does it get better than an ice cream cone on a spring
evening with the trampoline all to yourself? 

This Easter tree has been around for a while. 
Anyone remember when we got it? 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD/GRANDPA!