Hitting Sixty

  I've made it to SIXTY.

YEP. 

 It seems like such a miracle

. . .  and a blessing.

My siblings gathered for the occasion at my brother's new mountain cabin.

I got to be Queen for the Day.

My brothers even zipped up my jacket when the thing confounded me.

It took two of them.  How delightful!

 

 Then four of us went out riding in my brother's Thing-a-ma-gig.

It went straight up a steep mountain road with 2 feet of fresh snow.

I had a fabulous time until we did a bit of sliding 

and I envisioned falling over the edge of the cliff and breaking THESE.

We descended,

because I wanted to

and it was my birthday

and my brother actually responded to my wish.

  

SIDE NOTE: It was NOT my birthday when the very same brother drove his snowmobile the entire length of Yellowstone Park going between 80 and 90 mph while I held on for dear life behind him.  I tried using my pregnancy (with child #1) as an excuse to get him to slow down, but that didn't work.  My 60th birthday gave my a great deal of CLOUT and I loved it.

Here I sit on my throne with brother Ken and sister Tricia.

 

It was such so much fun to have a long evening to simply chat.

  Then came the dearest gift I've ever received. 

My daughter Leah and my sister Tricia created this book of keepsakes

(BELOW inside the lovely gift wrapping)

with entries from 38 of my loved ones.

They each wrote such dear, thoughtful memories about our relationships. Treasures.

If you look closely, I'm crying before I even open it.

 Leah spent many late nights doing page after page of gorgeous lay-outs, including photos.

She used her considerable talents at scrapbooking to make each page a masterpiece.

EVERYONE loved going through the book together.

Ken and Tricia read some of the essays out loud.

I was so surprised and totally overwhelmed by this gift of love, especially knowing Leah's crazy life.

It was very emotional for me.

The next day, another merry group of four went on an expedition in the Thing-a-ma-gig.

My son-in-law Duane is waving from the back seat.  Kelty is next to him.  I've got their toddler and the camera.

Ken and his wife Athelia left for Great Britain shortly after this photo was taken.

 The following evening, they stayed in Oxford, England at my son's home . . .

. . . while we remained at the cabin one more night.

My son's family seems so very far away, but my brother and his wife were with them in less than a day.  Wow.

I'm glad they enjoyed a splendid time together.

We, at the cabin, had a mighty fine time, as well!

My granddaughter, Ms. Rella May at the cabin.

A heartfelt thank you 

to my brothers and sisters and children 

who put so much effort into making my 60th sooooooo totally perfect.