Eliza's Super Mario Party

I started going through my pictures, with the intention of posting about the reunion, per Heather's request, but I got majorly sidetracked on Eliza's birthday.  I'm still so grateful for Becca, Suzy, Krista, and Mom who helped Mark and I enact our extremely ambitious Super Mario Brothers Birthday Party plans.  Behold the awesomeness.

Bingo.  I refereed the first round, and awarded one pack of fruit snacks for each person's first Bingo.  Krista ran the second round and gave each Bingo winner one fruit snack.  Moral of this story: I'll let you decide.

The biggest hit of the whole party: each kid getting to bonk out gold treasure from the question box.

Amy rejoicing in her spoils

Mark monitoring the Wii station

The obstacle course.  The entry into Water World.

Throwing fireballs at (into) the Koopa.

 Riding "Yoshi"

 

Throwing water balls at the Squids

 The grand finale to our obstacle course: Getting a prize from Princess Peach in the shed.  Danielle VERY GRACIOUSLY donned Eliza's princess tutu and crown and became the (Pregnant) Princess Peach who deserves a prize herself for her niceness.  I hate that we didn't get a picture.

The prize: Mario mushroom shirts

Kevin enjoying the scenery

Apparently the sandbox was more fun than the obstacle course.  I'm trying not to feel offended. : )  Will someone please remind me, next year, that obstacle courses take approximately 3000 times longer to set up than they do to actually complete?

Krista helping with the cake and being mobbed by children

The cake and accompanying mushroom cupcakes

 Danielle holding Christian pretty much the entire party

This picture basically sums up Eliza's party.  See Mom and Becca slaving away in the background while the kids blissfully enjoy themselves?  So, thanks, Mom, for all those parties back in the day.

The side show

Side show part 2

Yey for party helpers.  Come back next year.  Same time.  Without the obstacle course, though.  And with Heather.  Since this is a "Hey Heather!" post.

Welcome Back, Hez!

Heather, welcome back!

Hez, we never showed you this the first time you got home, so here's our welcome home present to you now.  We love you and miss you.  Love Nielsens

A Lucky Find

Tonight I stopped by the Family History section of the BYU library to look up an obituary.

I grabbed my microfilms, wound the reader, and scrolled to the day after the death-- May 23rd.  The newspaper listed the deaths on page B6, so I scrolled over to the beginning of the B section.

What to my wondering eyes did appear?

This article-- front and center!

What are the chances?

The REAL reason Dad left for Kansas!

Beware of Becca and an axe

Spoiled rotten

The kids over here are spoiled to death. Easy access to Grandma's homemade waffles, free lessons on bean picking and hands-on bread making days... and free entertainment with Grandpa on the rider mower, on a ladder in the orchard, or brandishing power tools in the barn. Whatever way you look at it, my kids are spoiled. Not to mention the best benefit of all--Thursday morning irrigation water! (okay, not better than the gparents.) I took the kids out last week, and looked away for a minute. I looked back and Brookie had plopped herself down in a huge puddle while devouring her plum. Micah didn't want to be outdone and sat down right next to her. Then we played out there for at least an hour. What could be more fun?! ps--Brooke is not spoiled with an awesome hairdresser mom.