Epiphany Sunday, 2011

I think the late night holidays caught up with me Sunday morning…. it was slow going getting ready, and I found myself running around the house at 7:40 looking in vain for the hair spray (it got left at the ranch in our precipitous departure on Thursday morning).  Mother, Laurent and I were barely on the road by ten of eight, and I was sure I would totally scrub my choir rehearsal call time – but was pulling into a parking spot at 8:03am, thanks to green lights, Sunday traffic, and no trains.  🙂

There was a solemn and joyful Pontifical Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany, after which Paul left to pick up Susan, while I took Mother, our four cherubs, plus Malinda, who has been coming regularly with us to church on Sundays, down to Sun Lakes for the annual Tripartite Birthday Party (hereafter TBP) celebrating the births of Jacob (11), Laurent (16), and Jessica (111 – also known as Eleventy-One.  But just for this year… next year her age goes back to being 99).

I was going to say that I have no rational explanation for why allllllllll my pictures from the TBP turned out blurry, but I am suspicious that it had something to do with the flash setting.  I feel woefully inept at times like this… nonetheless, blurry though my documentation be, I did take pics, so I shall post them, and do some homework before the next get together so as not to repeat the photographic fiasco.

The breakfast bar is where all the action is on party days.

Laurent’s favorite of favorites is lefse,
which grandma imports directly from Norway
(not really – but she gets it from a friend).

So very tasty.
Some say bland, but to the haters
we say
pftpftpftpft!!

Auntie Jess trying to pose with two nieces,
with a Joe bopping in at the last second.

One more try, with a very cute Jadyn squeezing in the middle!

Oh dear.
The paper hat came out again!

Malinda had to model the look…

So did mother, and the face she made was priceless!!

Then it was Jon’s turn…

Jadyn gave it a go…

Two pretty cousins!

The Boy
giving the victory sign
when it was “finally” time
for birthday cake and presents!

Blowing out the candles…

Oh Joy of Joys –
LEGO’S!!!
How did they know?

A book at which he looks with some suspicion…
but will undoubtedly love!

A WWII Tank!!
With 3 C batteries it runs and makes a wonderfully obnoxious shooting noise.
Perfect! 🙂

This woman is so darn cute,
I’d have to hate her if she weren’t so wonderful.
🙂

There she is again, radiating cuteness.
She can’t even help it.

This cake was very popular with little fingers.

Laurent getting a snuggle while awaiting her birthday turn.

Oh My!!
Grandpa and Grandma worked very hard
making this
special cake!

Happy 16th Birthday!!!

And for a face that perfectly reflects
the feeling of having
eaten oneself into oblivion,
Megan wins the prize!

What a wonderful day.  We are so blessed to have our Heidmann family close by!

Later on Jeff came by and he, Paul and I went out for a movie.  We decided to see Tron in 3-D.

Pretty good special effects, but we could have written a more satisfactory ending.  Oh well, it was an enjoyable diversion, and of course, merriment is compounded when we three spend all too rare time together.  Thus we came to the end of a thoroughly blessed Epiphany Sunday, tired, and thankful.