We did "18 Days countdown to Stephen's 18th", giving him a gift everyday... things from his favorite treats to a chess set to date money. First day was yummy Denny's breakfast w/ Mom and Dad! Started his bday by visiting his seminary class with donuts and a song, then took him his favorite Sonic drink at lunch.
And the fun all-nighter teenage party!
His classmates singing to him in choir ~
New Quick Quack Car Wash job - he loves it! ("They hired me on the spot, walked me around the facility, and gave me the rundown. I start next week!")
Love this darling girl of ours -- a friend had her babysit and asked her about her day. Kas said "It was so great!" Kimberly said, but you always say everyday is great, do you ever have bad days? Kas said, "well yeah sometimes but a bad day is just a good day you're just looking at the wrong way!!" She always hops up for seminary in the morning and has such a cheerful attitude!
Sweet Rebecca Talley and her husband and son came over and brought an orange tree and planted it in my backyard in Dad's honor. She told us months ago she wanted to give me a gift that would be meaningful and lasting and remind me of all the sunshine that Dad spread to everyone. So she thought about it for a very long time and realized that since I love flowers and plants, and oranges are the closest thing to Sunshine that she could think of... she bought it months ago and watered it and waited until it was the right time, so they came over with their buckets and shovels and Miracle-Gro dirt and dug a huge hole and planted it in my backyard. Then she proceeded to say that she still doesn't understand why my dad had to be taken, when there are so many yucky people left here who she thinks should have gone instead...
We love doing fun FHEs together ~ we found this super cute video of Stephen & Kas giving the primary scripture and talk... where does time go? I miss that stage. Now they're grown up and we do lessons about taking care of ourselves while we apply blackhead removal pads...