GREAT BIRTHDAY PARTY

Dear Family,

Well on April 11th, we had my birthday party.  At first nothing was planned but we have this knack of coming up with great celebrations at the drop  of a hat.  We invited all those in the state to come and most were able to come here.  This was a great birthday with the phone going off the hook with calls from family, grandkids, friends and former missionaries.  It was just wonderful!  Even got birthday wishes from the MTC ftom my granddaughter, Sister Natalie Hickey.

We planned to have lobsters and arranged to get them through Harmons saving $92 in shipping costs from Maine.  They were able to get 1 1/2 pound lobsters that were very good.  Some did not like lobster so we also had steak for a real "surf and turf"

We boiled the lobsters and here they are and it was great!

 I received many nice gifts but here you see I am wearing one.  Doug and Kristina bought me a Wolfgang Puck chef's jacket and even embroidered the Austrian flag on the arm.

They also added a name tag!

Doug tried the Google translator and gave them the expression, "I cook with love" and it came out what you read in the picture.  I had to point out that the syntax was a bit funny, parts of verbs were missing etc.  Doug checked with  one of his German patients who corroborated my analysis.

He then said, " I tried Google translator and now I am geburned!

Here is Dr. Doug with steaks on the grill.  Everything turned out fantastic.

To top it all off, Suz, (of Sweets by Suz) made this delicious creamy birthday cake that she learned in Mexico.  John was on a self imposed diet and was off trying to figure the calorie count of the dinner and I think he was short.

This was with the grownups and it was fun to sit and reminisce and also a challenge not to turn it into a personality roast.  It was such a memorable birthday.

Mom's 75th birthday is next year and we will plan a family reunion around it.  Plans are being formulated at this minute. This year has been such a great time with the family with so much going on.  Missionaries leaving, missionaries returning, high school graduations and all the ordinance work that is on going.

We feel blessed and we love you all,

Mom and Dad