Birthday Weekend

Page's birthday was on Saturday (so was my sister Hope's). Not a lot of fanfare this year, but Lacey came over and gave her a Mary Englebreit watch, and I got her a music system that plays albums, CDs, tapes and AM/FM radio. We let her open her present a day early on Friday then I took her for steaks at Topolos.

On Saturday, Page's actual birthday, Page paid for a space at her work's garage sale across the street from the bank. It was her birthday so we let her sleep in as Lacey and her friend Jenny, manned the table and tried to sell a few things. We got there at 8 a.m. and stayed about 10:30 and actually sold most of our stuff. Lacey and Jenny got to keep all the money. They are using it for a big birthday bash they are hosting for Lacey's birthday in a couple weeks. Everyone invited has to dress up. It's going to be a fancy garden party at Lacey's new house.

After the garage sale, Page and I had plans to go to Livingston, MT for the weekend. However, we did wait around until the mail arrived, expecting a letter from Sean. Yep, a letter arrived for the both of us, PLUS a birthday card for Page at around 11:30 a.m. It was perfect timing. We then loaded up the car to spend the remainder of the weekend in Livingston. We stayed at the Quality Inn, but as soon as we arrived in Livingston, we headed over to Bozeman and watched a movie "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and ate at Mongolian BBQ. Plus of course a little shopping, then headed back to Livingston.

This morning we got up and headed over to the Livingston Ward to hear Elder Chris Cox give his homecoming talk. He just got back from the California Los Angeles Mission.

Wow, Chris has become a very confident young man and speaker. He shared a few experiences from his mission. Caleb Claar also gave his first talk this morning and it was really good. Then he was followed up by Matt Cox, Chris' Dad. Then it was Chris, followed by a few remarks by the Bishop. The Bishop reminded everyone that since he moved in over 8 years ago, Chris was the first missionary to serve a 2 year mission. (Of course Blatters served 18 months, their daughter, Jenn served 18 months, Ander and Landon both served shorter missions), but Bishop mentioned all of them, and Elder Dustin Harvey, our Elder, Sean, Sister Kim Larsen, and soon to be missionary Ken Fawcett. It is amazing to see the flood of missionaries that have come from the Livingston Ward lately. What a blessing for Livingston!

Here is a picture of Chris, His Mom, Diane, and little sister, Lindsey. Diane was holding her two year old too, but of course our camera broke yesterday, and we could not see in the LCD screen, so I guessed that I had everyone in frame when I snapped the picture. I'm actually lucky I got most of them in the picture since I had to guess what I was shooting.

I had to get a picture of Sean's missionary plaque on the wall. It wasn't on the wall yet when we were in Livingston for his farewell, so it was a thrill to see it up on the foyer wall for everyone to see.

After the meeting we went and changed and checked out of our motel room and headed over to Steve and Karen McCann's for lunch. We had a very nice visit and shared Sean's letters with them and were well fed. We also told them how to get on Sean's blog to read all his letters. Karen is like a second Mom to Sean and she has already written him, which I know Sean was happy to get.

We then drove home the back way through Columbus, Joliet, Red Lodge and Belfry. We are having such great weather and the views are so majestic!

Happy Birthday, Page !!!