~ Evelyn Rose ~

Welcome, precious Evelyn Rose! She was born at 12:20 am on this first day of February! Our Littlest Valentine, born in Alaska to the loving arms of Mama, Daddy, and sister Ada, weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces and she will be called Evey! We can't wait to go to the Last Frontier to hold and love the newest little bundle of joy! We love you Karyn, Zac Ada, and Evey! ~

Happy Birthdays!

A happy, hairy, bunny hug for Tyler on his seventh birthday! We love you!

A happy, harmonica, party hug for Bob on his 80th birthday! We love you guys!

Happy Birthday, Karyn!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Karyn! We wish you were on the farm to celebrate, but just look at all of the white, Alaskan snow and remember how much we all love you! ~Happy Days!~ xo

Happy Birthday, Anna!

Happy Birthday to Beautiful Anna! Five years old is the perfect age to enjoy rough and tumble activities with three brothers, torture them with the love of pink and purple, snuggle with Lucy the kitty, help Mama bake cupcakes, draw pictures and write letters, follow chickens around the farm with Nana and Papa, and start piano lessons! Happy Fifth Birthday, Anna! XOXO

Happy Birthday!

The day began with the making of cinnamon rolls! Mmmm, they are never made often enough and today was a perfectly quiet day spent mostly by the woodstove to wander into the kitchen to check on the rising, rolling out, rising again, baking, and then icing. In between we drank plenty of coffee and enjoyed the 27 degree, foggy day!


Finally, the call of 250 little Chinook Salmon who were ready to be released drew us out of the coziness of our home and we scooped these little beauties up. It is not so easy to catch a fish in a confined tank, so just imagine how challenging it is to catch a fish in the wild! These were raised from hatchery eggs through a program with ODFW. The third graders in my class loved watching them mature from the egg to the fry!

Here is my dear sister Trina and two of our childhood friends. Lois is on the left and she and Trina were inseparable as kids, and Jackie is on the right and she and I were inseparable as kids! Lois now lives in New Hampshire and Jackie moved back to the Rogue Valley a year ago from Florida. What an amazing evening. Trina is holding a bowl full of Yorkshire pudding cups.

My niece, Margaret, who is holding a very well dressed cat name Kenai, and my oldest grandson, Ryan who wishes he too had a bowtie like the cat!!

Part of the group gathered around the table included Jolene, our oldest daughter, Marge, Lois's mother, Lois, Jackie, Trina, Tim, and yours truly. My brother in law, Rob was the tallest to get the group in the picture. The giggling you hear in the background are the five children at their own table!

The the lighting of the birthday pie! It took three people to set the most amazing pie aglow! The official birthday pies were a three layer delight that we renamed Banana Split Pie. It has a bottom layer of chocolate cream, a middle layer of coconut cream, and a top layer of banana cream and it is unbelievably delicious. My sister created and perfected this masterpiece. She also made the unbelievably and mouthwatering scrumptious lemon meringue pie.

It was indeed a happy birthday spent with dear family and friends ~

Happy Birthday, Farmer Man!

It is birthday Apple Pie for dessert instead of cake for Farmer Man!

Tyler, the co-conspirator is ready to dig into the apple pie with Papa!

It wouldn't be a birthday party without twinkling Irish eyes of mischief!

The Three Little Leprechauns sitting on a bench...Tyler, Aiden, and Ryan.

Everyone all together to celebrate a very loving, kind, and happy Irish Man! We feasted on BBQ pork meatballs, rice pasta with spinach, garlic bread, applesauce, eggnog, and apple pie! Happy Birthday to the most wonderful man~ xo

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

You are such a fun, sweet, smart, kind, funny, loving, thoughtful, strong, happy, super star boy! Have fun being 8 and remember to tell your Mama that "eight is great and really cool!"!
We love you, Nana and Papa xoxo

Happy Birthday, Pops!

Happy Birthday, Pops. You make 71 look terrific! Wish you were here. We love you! ~~

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Here are four generations of Irish girls celebrating together just a few years ago. "May you always walk in sunshine. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door." Wishing you a happy, happy birthday, a 'Happy Days' toast, and a harmonica serenade!
~ I love you xo