Birthday Boys

 Andy and Ben's birthdays are two days apart...

 Andy's birthday was the last day of school.  He has been teaching seminary at MCHS for 9 years and is being moved to SVHS...to the other end of the valley.  So, he spent his birthday packing up his office.  I went in and helped a little bit.  

 I found this picture tucked away in a storage room.  This was taken 16 years ago when I was on the seminary council.  It was 1997...the sesquicentennial year of the mormon pioneers entering the Salt Lake valley...thus the costumes.  It was a fun trip down memory lane :)

Mom and Dad came and babysat so Andy and I could go out that night.  We went to our favorite, quaint, and authentic Italian restaurant.  Every time we go I get one of two dishes; both of which are gnocchi.  This is a polenta based gnocchi with a yummy, cheesy cream sauce.  I always think it doesn't look like enough food when it is placed before me but I always end up full :)

Andy got one of his favorites too!

 The morning of Ben's birthday a sweet woman in the ward came by and brought Ben a little gift (bubbles and a book)... just because.  The note was to Ben - her little buddy :)  Ben has kind of taken a liking to her and will sometimes go and sit with her during Sacrament meeting.  She's really cute with him.

 Of course we couldn't get through his special day without a seizure. 

I think I've said it before but I love snuggling with him after his seizures.  Those are special moments.

Andy's parents came that afternoon and we picked up food and went to the park...

 Singing "Happy Birthday" to himself :)

 

We had a very low key celebration at the house that evening...

There's a "cheesecake" ketogenic recipe that I hoped to make for his cake.  I didn't plan ahead well enough though and was minus an ingredient so I searched on the web for another "treat" he could have.  I found a "muffin in a mug" recipe and gave it a try (I still had to borrow an ingredient from a neighbor :)

I stuck some candles in it and Ben was thrilled.

 He loved it!  I was so worried that he wouldn't like it but he immediately asked for more after his first bite.

 

Sunday night we had a joint celebration at Mom and Dad's...

 Ben kept handing Andy every little strip of wrapping paper he pulled off.

Happy birthday my guys!

In Memory...

This Memorial Day was a little more poignant for me than usual.

Less than two weeks before the holiday the passing of two different people hit close to home.

Ben's primary teacher, a sweet woman in our ward, died tragically leaving behind her husband and three boys.  It was a shock and there has been much grieving and sadness in our little neighborhood.

The "bouquet" that Ben's primary class put together for their teacher.

The day after her funeral, I heard news that a little girl, just three weeks younger than Ben had lost her battle with Dravet Syndrome.  That was tough to hear.

I can't imagine the ache that these families must be feeling.

Even with faith, and knowing that through the Atonement of our Savior, they will be with their loved ones again, it still hurts...terribly I am sure!

So, with these two, dear daughters of God in my heart, I was blessed, as always, to spend Memorial Day with my sweet family.

We visited a couple of different cemeteries and then had a pleasant picnic in the park.

(My apologies to my non-relative readers who might not find this many pictures entertaining :)

 

There was a large bobble head like dog on one of the graves that Ben just loved.  He and Andy sat there forever looking at it :)

Kind of scary looking eyes!

The Crew

 

 

The traditional Frisbee Golf game.

The ice cream truck made an appearance at the park!

The next morning I was able to make a solitary trip up to visit the grave of my "Grandpa O."

It was raining and it was perfect!

My pink lilac was blooming just in time for Memorial Day.