Family is Everything!

Logan High Homecoming 2009

Melanie dragged herself out of bed (we're pretty sure she was swine flu infested) after six days and got gussied up for the homecoming dance. 

Her personal hairstylist? Sister, Nicole.

Personal cheerleader and support staff? Sister, Chelsea.

Personal date flower pinning expert? The Mom!

We thought Nate's belt was a pretty sweet addition to his ensemble!

The date? Nate Anderson.

They don't get much cuter than this!

It's been a whole year!

365 days.

52 weeks.

Since our sweet Chase entered the MTC.

Today begins the downward track of his time as a missionary.

"People" say the time a young man is out on a mission crawls along at a snails pace for the mother.

Not this mother.

I have a hard time believing it is already September 24th -- again!

And that it has been a whole year -- already!

Actually, we love having a missionary. I love that we receive e-mails every week. And they're such fabulous e-mails! I love what my boy is learning. I love that he is giving service. I love that he is no longer a boy, but a man. I love his tender, yet powerful testimony. 

I basically just love this missionary we call Elder Hicken! 

Here's to another fantastic 365 days!

(First day at the MTC in Provo, UT.)

(In Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica summer of 2009.)

It is illegal to be sick

according to Chelsea, that is.  We began this round of germiness with Greg a couple of weeks ago.  He is still hacking.  Brigham came down with the sickness last Friday.  Melanie has been sick since Sunday, and we know she isn't faking -- it is homecoming week at the high school with lots of fun activities to attend -- all of which she has been missing because she has been cocooned in her bed for almost four whole days.  Chelsea has now come down with whatever it is that has been ailing our family.

In an event to stay "bug" free, I have been spending quality time with these two friends:

I'm considering walking around with my mouth and nose stuck inside of my t-shirt. Or, maybe I'll just go to a hotel for a few days. Hmmmm.  Now that's a thought worth seriously considering :)

p.s.  Don't ask my why two pictures of Airborne showed up. I can't delete one without deleting the entire post.  So just enjoy the double shot.

Melanie turned 17 -- shout hooray!

I missed Melanie's birthday -- well, only in the blogging sense.

Saturday, the 19th of this month, Melanie Lucille turned big 17!!  She's been driving for a week shy of a year now and has not yet had an automobile altercation (knock on wood!)!

How can you not love this darling young woman?!  Happy birthday to our youngest daughter!

Sunday, we had a family birthday party for Melanie and Mike (Shaela's darling husband).  We've had a bit of a cake high going on at our house of late!  Can you guess how old Mike is turning this week?

Missionary Birthday!

Today is Chase's 20th birthday!

He is celebrating it in Costa Rica.

He is celebrating it without my homemade cheesecake :(

He is celebrating it with an ant infested no-bake cheesecake that I mailed in his birthday package and the ants got to it before he did.

I really can't believe that 20 years have passed since the morning Dr. Harmes put our first son into my arms! Chase was such a happy baby -- and such a busy and curious toddler!  He was the terror of the Primary -- but a responsible and enjoyable member of the Aaronic Priesthood quorums. Since I'm not in Costa Rica and therefore unable to ascertain what kind of missionary he is -- I'll go with adverbs of my own choosing: dedicated, sincere, focused, reliable, obedient, and pretty much just all around fabulous!

Happy, happy birthday Elder Hicken!  Enjoy the cheesecake!

And ...

Chase shares his birthday with his darling cousin, Lexi, who is SIX today!

Happy birthday Lexie!!

Yup, she's gonna be trouble with a capital "T"!! We sure love that red headed ball of fire!

An Apple A Day ...

or maybe I should say, "a tree full of apples in a day ..."

Shaela and the kids came up yesterday to help pick apples and bottle apple pie filling.

It was another bumper crop year!

We ended up with 49 beautiful quarts!

Forty-nine!

Apple pie will be plentiful at our house during the famine or pandemic quarantine.

And we still have about a bijillion apples left.

We also have a bumper crop of tomatoes and beets. I need a vacation!

Proof

Remember when I posted that I was with my sister-in-law in Hilary Weeks' recording studio?  

Remember? 

Go here for the proof!

I rest my case.

Notable News

1. Greg's 50th SURPRISE birthday party went surprisingly well -- and it was actually a SURPRISE!! Modern day miracles really do occur!

We had a luau with real (the Pauni family) and fake (Shirlene, Greg, Mike, Shaela, Nicole, Talon)  hula dancers! 

We even had some fake haka warriors! (Brigham, Dustin, Paul, Matt)

2. Sweet niece Darilyn came to visit and picked up her special quilt made especially for her by our very own Chelsea.  These two cousins are only a couple of months apart in age.  We like to tell Chelsea she would look like Darilyn if she were asian!

3.  Barkley acquired a new look. I don't think he really likes his new Barkley Davidson look, but someone has to go riding on the Harley with Greg!

4. Chelsea gets her Music Therapy Internship of choice right here in Logan at Sunshine Terrace! Woot!

5. Brigham receives his Air Force orders (for sometime in July 2010) to ... Alaska! Double Woot! I'm just glad Brig and Chelsea won't be going to Guam or Japan.

6. Nicole becomes the proud new owner of a piano of her very own. Joy and happiness now abound!

7. Brigham goes on a one day 50 mile hike with his dad and brother. Brig's brother wisely stops after 35 miles.  Brigham and his dad continue to the bitter end. Brigham ends up at Logan Regional Hospital for two IV units for rehydration. 

8. Labor Day - that would be today.  In honor of this national holiday, we are spending our time ... laboring around the house and yard! I haven't seen Melanie and Dustin crack a smile yet. Sometimes it's difficult to learn the real hard truth about life -- someone has to do the work -- and sometimes that someone is you!