"Come to the Cabaret . . ."

A fun evening with Bonny and some of the Bolanders - the occasion was Ella's Girls' Select Choir concert - aptly title Cabaret.  (Actually the program featured all of the choral groups - Ella is part of the Select Choir.)

As usual, the concert was wonderful - what a talented group of students!  Malibu/Santa Monica Unified has one of the finest music programs I have ever seen.  We always feel rewarded for our efforts when we attend any of their music events.

One of Ella's numbers was ""Momma I'm a Big Girl Now" from Hairspray.  It was fun to see all those young girls in vintage dresses from the 50s and 60s.  There were also songs by Brian Wilson, Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, Freddie Mercury, and George Harrison, among others.

Some very talented young people entertained us well.  Glad we got to go!!

Birthdays and May

Harry, Dawn and family joined us in GH for a b-day celebration for Mom.

Donna's new swing is just right for a Grandpa Bob story.

 Bonny and her family sent flowers to my room on my birthday - a nice touch, since I had to go to a class that night!!  (Other sweet staff members brought gifts and cards too!!)

But after my class, I came home to a lovely candlelight dinner for two - prepared by Dad - talents he's been keeping hidden!!  Now we know!

Since there was a staff appreciation luncheon on my birthday, my Lunch-Bunch group celebrated my day on Friday.

Dad planned a birthday barbecue for Sunday afternoon - good food, good folks, good times!!

Always nice to have the grandmas with us!

Dad manned the stoves!!

Enjoyed having Greg, Kristy and boys with us.

The girls have fun on the computer.  Design your own room or something like that.

Wouldn't be a birthday without a Mimi Cake!!

And there are always helpers if you can't blow the candles out by yourself!!

The tether ball continues to be a hit.

Or maybe an inspiration for some ballet moves!

Bruce and Greg discovered that they are of the same vintage - and only about a month apart in age!

Miss Isla has learned to give a "thumbs up!!"

It was lots of fun to be all together - didn't get a shot of Noah - he came - bringing flowers too.  And I'm so glad tomorrow is a holiday - can't beat good food, good folks, good times - and getting to sleep in!!

12 years and going strong!!

A happy day when Dawn and Harry "tied the knot" - can it have been 12 years already??

(The answer is yes indeed - a great 12 years too I might add!)

Wedding Bells, Wedding Belles!!

Maybe everyone one has gotten their own update - but in case you didn't, here are some wedding shots for Maddy's wedding today.  Sure wish I could have been there!!

Congrats to the newlyweds!

We love Henry!!

Happy to add a boy to the grandchild line up!!

 

A fave photo of mine!  (I post it every year!!)

 

"Walkin' the line" at Hannah and Robbie's reception.

 

Craft time at the Terrill Family Holiday Celebration- Monrovia Canyon Park-style!

 

Hangin' out with Grandpa!!  He reads the funnies - a true Terrill!!

We love Henry - what a great kid he is!!  He is fun to talk to, fun to hang out with, fun to watch movies with, fun to have dinner with - and fun to play "Golf" with too.

Looking forward to visiting you soon - in the meantime, have a great day and a wonderful year ahead.  You were the first grandson - and you are a great example to us all!!

Happy Birthday to the Queen of Birthdays

One of my favorite things about my mom is her amazing ability to remember someone's birthday.  LOTS of someones.   So I hope you have a great day mom and a great year.

Birthday Buddies!

I know I post this every year - but I think it's the only photo I have of RoseAnn and me together.  I never knew anyone who had a birthday the same day as me until I met RoseAnn.  I thought it was pretty neat to share a day - and we even share a year - RoseAnn's a few hours older than me.  

Since then though, I've encountered a handful of birthday buddies - the granddaughter of my co-worker.  A man in our ward.  A woman in our ward who just moved in.  The son of my old high school friend.

Goodness, there must be a lot of celebrating going on!!

Happy Day to Betsy!

I know I post this every year - but when Betsy was "overdue," I kept hoping she'd end up being my "Birthday Buddy."  Alas, she chose her own day - and I hope it's a good one today!!

This is her first birthday!!  And I still own that tablecloth you see on the picnic table.  I probably say that every year too!!

Happy Birthday Betsy!!

Teaching him well

David was taking a pictures of us on Mother's Day and right when we were done Henry said, 

"Wait!  Now we need one with the head tilt!"  

Love that kid.

Happy Day to Karen!!

When Harry was on his mission, he wrote me about the baby that his sister was expecting - in May of that year.  And I kept hinting that maybe she would come on my birthday - a not-so-subtle-hint to let him know when my birthday was!!

She missed my birthday, but Harry figured out when mine was!!

Anyway, I married  into "Aunthood"  via Scott and Karen - and they both have a special place in my heart because of that - and because of the special people they are.

This shot is from 1983 - you do the math!!

Happy Day to you Karen - and all the best for a wonderful year ahead!!

Happy Day to Grandma Mary!!

Our children have enjoyed the wonderful blessing of growing up with their grandmas!  I had a grandma and a wonderful step-grandma, and it was a great blessing in my life.  So I have always been grateful that our children have enjoyed that experience also.

Today their Grandma Mary is 92 years old - or should I say, 92 years young!

Not only is she a "great" grandma - and a great grandma too!!  But she has been a wonderful mother to me and my siblings.  She is not perfect - but the longer I live, the more I love and appreciate all she did and does - and find no memory of the imperfections!!

Happy Day to you Mom - you deserve the best!!

A great summer read!!

I do not often wax rhapsodic about Grisham novels.  He's a great airplane read, a great entertainment read, a great fall-asleep at night read.  But this time, he's not only written a very readable novel, he's produced a well-written, very readable novel that is a great story - that I can't imagine everyone I know not loving!

So there you have it - add it to your queue.  It's a baseball story.  It's a story about being a child.  It's a story about familial love.  It's a story about fate and redemption.  

And there's not one lawyer in the bunch.

In the Hall of the Copenhagen Metro

Thought the fam would appreciate this.  Although Bruce claims he had a hard time staying awake through Peer Gynt when we saw it at the Shakespeare festival in Ashland.





By the way, does anyone remember the name of the other play we saw in Ashland with Ry and Sarah about the political extremists in Idaho?

So, is there more to this story than meets the eye?

I read an editorial in the LA Times today by Bruce Ackerman, who is a professor of law and political science at Yale University,  decrying the actions of Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook, who is renouncing his United States citizenship, which he acquired 14 years ago, for citizenship in tax-friendly Singapore.  (Wow, that's a sentence that Charles Dickens might applaud!!)

Anyway, is there more to this than meets the eye?  At first glance I feel like boycotting Facebook - unless someone can put a friendlier spin on all of this for me.

Surely one of you can illuminate this issue for me!

Monday Night at the Movies

We took Noah to the movies for his birthday - he at first wanted to see Dark Shadows - I'd read conflicting reviews but had seen the previews and thought I might enjoy it.  Then he changed his mind and said he wanted to see  Avengers.  I was pretty harsh - told Dad, "I should have stayed home.  I have no desire to see that movie."

Shows you what I don't know - it was very entertaining, and I enjoyed it.  Had some great one liners - and even the acting was pretty good.

Live and learn.

Sunday Celebration!

The day was full of people - and I didn't get a photo of each one - or of everyone - but I did get Ara working away on her science project.

And the Grandmas enjoying their day.

The guys and the gals - or should I say "The guy and the gals?"

My "little" boy - I have to stand while he sits if I want to look bigger than him!

Rounding up the menfolk for a family shot!

The birthday girl and her guy - a great looking couple.

The favorite aunt still rules!

And the uncle still catches the interest of the nephews!

The lovely Miss Ella.

The girl cousins enjoying some bonding time!

Aunt Mary sporting her new short 'do.

Rusty - the "biggest loser" these days - go Rusty!!

The lovely Miss Isla.

The Mimi Cake reaches new highs - or maybe new lows??

The Quarter Century Special courtesy of the Young Women Dessert Auction!

Always help when you need some candles blown out!!

Bill and some of his family were there, some friends from the ward, it was a celebration of the birthday kids, the moms, the grandmas - good food, good company, good times.

On to the week ahead, fortified with sugar and spice - and even some veggies and fruits!

Maybe I need to remind myself how to do a slide show!!