SURPRISE!!! You're 70!!!

Well, after A LOT of preparation the BIG DAY finally arrived.

After months of planning and preparation 

to throw an epic 

SURPRISE 70th Birthday Party for my Dad, 

I am pleased to say it was a HIT!

It honestly was everything I hoped it would be all of those months.

We totally surprised him, 

we had a GREAT turnout,

the program was the perfect blend of emotions.

AND.... 

we didn't burn the church down lighting 

70 candles 

on the bonfire, er, cake.

Everyone had a great time, especially my Dad. 

I wanted him to feel special, loved and in the spotlight. 

The party definitely delivered all of it.

Here is a fraction of the photos to remember that night by.

This was the "decorative" cake.

This was the "candle" cake. It took a bit to get all of those candles lit AND blown out! The old man did it though! 

We had a great "program". From stories told. Poems read and Travis's family singing a little song they wrote. It was perfect.

Burke Cousins Photo

Heidi, Angela, Randy, Ronda, Jen,

Travis, Jack, Sam, and Jared

Little Mills Kingdom, the Birthday Boy and his Sweetheart

Birthday Boy, his Sweetheart and the Grandkids 

Ridge, Sawyer, Evelyn, Ally, Sydney and Birthday Boy Grandpa

Birthday Boy and his kids

Ronda, Heidi, Dad, Travis, Jennifer

Nate, Ronda, Travis, Sarah, Dad, Fran, Heidi, Travis, Jennifer, Ryan

We all had a great time!!!

Happy 70th Birthday Dad!

Photo Shoot Sunday: Better Late Than Never

I think it is absolutely crazy that my Dad and Fran came out to 

our house on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day AND for the Burke Christmas party and we never had our picture taken with them. Hello! I may have been a little overwhelmed those days. 

Well, they came out tonight for dinner and to participate in our Family Home Evening: Introduction to Indexing. 

I made sure to document our time together. 

Luckily, or lazily, our Christmas Tree was still up. 

Better Late Than Never. Right?

Flashback Friday: Sydneys Baptism and the Lodge 2008

We always enjoy our time as a family up at the Laketown Lodge. But this particular trip up was even more meaningful. We had it planned to go up for the weekend of our niece, Sydney's baptism. It was the first weekend of March. Well, the fourth of February is when my Dad and his wife Fran, had their moose accident. My Dad ended up only being released from the hospital the day of the Baptism. They allowed he and Fran to travel up to the Lodge to participate in the Baptism and then he headed straight back to the hospital for one final check and was then released. He had been in there for a month. We were so grateful we were able be together with him in celebration instead of in mourning.

The Lodge is always full of good times and good food and this day was no exception. We returned after the Baptism to eat a feast and to take some pictures with Dad.

Dad with my brother, Travis, and his two boys, Garrett and Tyler.

Sophia Kelsey and Grandpa Burke

Evelyn, Nate, Ryland, Ronda, Ally, Dad and Fran and Ethan Mills

Garrett, Sarah, Travis, Julia, Dad and Fran and Tyler Burke

Jennifer, Shaylen, Ridge, Dad and Fran, and Sawyer Skidmore

Kai, Joe and Sophia Burke with Dad and Fran

Wyatt, Dad, Sydney, Fran, Heidi, Logan, Travis, Carson and Megan Muirbrook



Fifty Years Ago Today

Fifty years ago today, my Dad, Elder Gordon L. Burke, gave his Missionary Farewell Testimonial, in Annis, Idaho. Before leaving to the South Germany Mission for 30 months.

I have been working on organizing and scanning his mission memorabilia this last month or so. It hadn't even dawned on me that this February the 24th, 2013 was exactly 50 years to the day that he gave his Farewell address until just a couple days ago. What a fun thing to be working on at such a momentous Anniversary.

Mantua Dam Race July 2012

We had a great time running the Mantua Dam Race together as a family.

It was a first time race for all of us. I have biked and ran around the Dam multiple times.

It was a fun, five mile course. Clear up until the morning of the race, starting line actually, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Do my best or hang with the family and make it more a social run?

Not long after the gun went off I decided I should make a go of it. I decided to make my goal to come in under 45 minutes, under a 9 minute mile pace. Turns out it was more difficult mentally running it "by myself", without my usual running buddies and without my ipod to spur me on. It was a mental drag at times for sure. Ethan and Ally did it essentially with no training, hello youth!, by run/walking it with their cousins. 

All in all we had with us:

My Dad and Fran,

Sarah, Tyler and Austin,

Ryan, Jen, Shaylen, Sawyer, and Cole,

Me, Ethan and Ally

(not pictured) Kent, Lisa and Jace Skidmore

I was pleased to come in at 44:25 with an 8:53 average pace, sixth place for women 30-34 out of about 35 women. Not too shabby.

Ethan came in at 1:03

Ally came in at 1:12

It was a great morning followed up with a great day with family up at Bear Lake's beach.

Can't wait for next year.

Ryland's Baptism

Ryland's Baptism turned into a crazy busy day. While we didn't intend it to be that way, it definitely ended up that way. We ended up having carpet layers in the basement from 10:30 am to 9 pm (that is a whole other story, one that I'm currently trying to forget), we had a piano recital for our older three kids, plus the Baptism and all that that entails. Believe me, it was a crazy day. I told people that if they saw me sitting in the corner crying to just assume I was feeling the spirit! :) I was worried that I wouldn't be able to focus and enjoy the Baptism, but fortunately when the time came, I was able to put everythig else aside and enjoy the moment.

I still can't believe that Ryland is old enough to be Baptized! It is just crazy to me how fast time is going.

Grandma and Grandpa Burke with Ryland

Grandma and Grandpa Mathie with Ryland

Great Grandma and Grandpa Jackman with Ryland

Unfortunately my Mom and her husband Bob, Grandma and Grandpa Hale, weren't able to come. They are Logan Temple workers and have the Saturday shift. They were definitely there in spirit though and will be blessed for their service and sacrifice I am sure!

It was a crazy, busy, wonderfully blessed day! We love you Chub and are so proud of you and the choices you are making!

Wordless Wednesday: Jungle Gym or Grandpa?

(sept. 2005)

Flashback Friday: My Dad

Today's Flashback Friday is dedicated to my Dad. Today is his 67th Birthday.

(1944 - 1945ish)

Wasn't he a cute baby?

(Thanksgiving Day 2010)

This recent photo definitely shows that he is still a child at heart. That old Moose definitely didn't get the best of him. The grandkids can always count on him for a race, a tickle, a sledding partner, someone to push them on the swings or to color with. Just like when I was a kid. He is an awesome Dad and I sure love him. Happy Birthday Dad!

Flashback Friday: July 1996

(my cousin Angie, my Aunt LaRue, her granddaughter, me and my Dad)

Today's Flashback Friday comes from WAY back in 1996. It was the Fourth of July, I had just graduated and turned 18 the month prior. My parents and I had gone up to Lava Hot Springs with some of my extended family. Doesn't my Dad look snazzy in his yellow pants?

Dance Recital 2010

Ally had her first Dance Recital on May 15th, 2010. The dance studio pays someone to photograph the recital so that the parents can just sit and relax during the performance. I just barely got them back this week.

I could feel her nerves starting to show while I was getting her ready. Can you tell?
She had to be at the auditorium over an hour early. Since we had some time to kill I took a few snapshots of her in the dressing room.

This was her Ballet dance, it was done to the song, "Dance Your Dreams". Doesn't she look beautiful out there? It was so much fun to watch.

This was her Tap dance. The song was "Let's Tap Charlie Brown". She later told me that she was nervous up there and just tried to pretend that there was no one in the audience, like at Dress Rehearsal. Nervous or not, she did a great job!

After the Recital we took Ally out to eat with Grandpa and Grandma Burke. I was pleasantly surprised when she wanted to go somewhere that didn't have a playland. Chili's it was. She was so excited about her trophy, she earned it too! Way to go Ladybug!

Flashback Friday: Germany

In honor of Father's Day this week I am dedicating this weeks Flashback Friday to my Dad. This is a photo of him in the early 60's while on his LDS mission to Germany. Isn't he handsome?

My Dad is an amazing Dad. He is always there when you need him and sometimes even when you didn't think you did. Like yesterday, which I will explain next week during the "Reveal" of my current project. Let's just put it this way, it was a doozey and he showed up in the nick of time to save the day. Love that. Love him. He is always available to talk to, I never felt he was too busy to talk to me when I needed him. He is also a VERY fun Dad and Grandpa. He can always be counted on for tickle fights, horsey rides, a quick chase and definitely squeels of delight. He is still very fast despite kissing that moose back in 2008. (Man Meets Moose 2008, posted in Feb 2010) In fact in the last few months alone I was forced to jump over the back of a couch in order to be able to scramble away from him while my kids egged him on to tickle me. Of course my response was that I had given him grandkids so that he could tickle them and NOT me! Good times.

I could go on and on about my Dad and how much he means to me, but I will finish up by saying, I love you Dad and Happy Father's Day!

Flashback Friday: Five Years

Flashback Friday today is dedicated to my Dad, and his wonderful wife, Fran. Today they celebrate their five year anniversary. So, in honor of this happy day I thought I would post some photos from their special day. Sorry about some of the photos quality. This was pre-digital days for me, so these photos were scanned in directly from my scrapbook.

This first photo was taken after the ceremony. My brother Travis, me, the new Mr. and Mrs. Burke, and my sisters, (who just happen to be twins, seriously!) Jen and Heidi. Heidi was also carting around my unborn nephew Carson, who joined the family 8weeks later.

This next one was of the Little Mills Kingdom. Nate, Ryland 19 mos., me, Fran and Dad, Ally almost 4 and Ethan 6. Man they have grown up. Stinkers.

This one was of the majority of the grandkids at the time. Back row: Wyatt, Shaylen, Ridge, Megan, Brice,Front row: Tyler, Sydney, Ethan, Ally, Logan, Garrett and Sawyer. Don't we all make cute kids?

Sydney and Ethan

Unfortunately, I don't have many photos from that wonderful day. Busy socializing I guess. Either way, we are super happy that these two have each other and have found so much happiness together. Happy Anniversary you guys! Frannie, welcome to the family.....again!