Along the path...

Someone who's FIVE! How did you get to be so big? Happy birthday, AL . May you have a wonderful birthday and a stellar birthday party this weekend. Love ya!

A day at the zoo. Beautiful weather. Fabulous company. Cooperative animals. Congrats on retiring, Mom! What a fun way to spend Labor Day! (Missed you much, Adam, Renee, AJ and EL.)

Happy birthday to the sweetest little peanut ever! Especially when she's covered in cotton candy. Hope it's a super day! Love you.

Last night my entire family and I went to Gardener's Village in Salt Lake for dinner in the old mill ( Archibald's ) and to walk around the village. It was such a surprise to have us all there together--even my sister and brother-in-law and their kids were able to make it. By the time we had finished with dinner, the shops had closed. It was still the witching hour as we walked around the shops to meet the witches. So much fun! Thanks for coming and for spoiling me rotten. At work my coworkers took me to lunch at the Thai Chili Garden , provided cake and ice cream, and were way too kind all day long. Thanks to everyone for their calls, emails, Facebook notes, etc. I appreciate your thoughts and wishes. It was a good day.

Here are some images from the Dellos Morrill Family reunion at the Ranch. Note IC's requested photo op with Cambridge and the dirty, dirty feet. Sign of a good time.

You've had a birthday, shout hurray!! Glad to hear you got your flower cake and that it was pink. Happy third birthday, Peanut! Love you.

Friday night, we colored eggs at grandma and grandpa's with RD, IC, and AL. AJ had had to stay home with a fever. Then we had a "sleep" over where we didn't really sleep much and geared up for Saturday's events. This Saturday, our traditional Easter egg hunt was held in my parents' backyard. All seven of the little one hunted for eggs. I'm not certain how excited AM, EL, and ZM were about the finding part. Especially since they couldn't eat the candy inside the plastic eggs and wouldn't be able to spend the money amount written on the outside of the other eggs. Here AJ, IC, AL, and RD show off their spoils. They had a blast finding eggs, eating candy and helping grandpa pay out the money amounts written on their eggs. Our picnic was held indoors due to the cool, rainy weather. Before scampering inside, the adults blew soap bubbles for the kids to chase and pop. Thanks, Bekah, for sharing a picture .

Last Saturday, before the sudden cold snap, we took a family to the Hogle Zoo. The weather was perfect--not too hot, not too cold. The animals were out and about. The zoo wasn't too crowded, and we got to see them feed a penguin fish. RD loved the lizard his dad told him was a dinosaur. IC said she liked the zebras the best. In this picture, AL was a little nervous at first when the giraffe started to lower and tried to pull herself up the pole until she realized that the animal would rise up and sink down. Then, she was fine. She had a ball going around in circles and waving at everyone as we passed. The rest of my nieces and nephews who were old enough to care about riding on a carousel had ridden the turn before. What a fun day! Becca thanks for sharing this picture!

These are some pictures that my sister took of her daughters. Aren't they adorable? I wanna be just like you! IC Posing AL posing Together!

Sleep over at Grandma and Grandpa's house! AL, IC, AJ, and RD are finally asleep after many stories and good night songs. Don't they look like angels?

Christmas came. Fast. Presents are all wrapped and unwrapped in a jiffy. Thanks everyone! Here is part of our Christmas program. Mary, great with child. This part was not in the script. AJ came up with it on her own. Joseph leading the donkey through Bethlehem. Mary on the donkey during the journey. Shepherd and angel? Little Christmas gifts beneath the tree. (AM and EL) AL as a rock star, after Christmas! IC as Fancy Nancy. Merry Christmas to all and to all a great night!

Saturday was the third annual Morrill Family Pumpkin Carving Contest. More to come.

Tonight, the majority of my family met at Gardner Village for dinner at Archibald's and then planned to wander the Village. It's Witchapalooza and witching time at the Village. By the time we finished dinner, most of the shops were closing. We looked around a bit and snapped a few pictures. I'll post them another time. The witches and pumpkins and Halloween decor was frightfully fun, but I don't think I've had such poor customer service at a restaurant before. I wish I could say that the restaurant was packed. Maybe there were extenuating circumstances we weren't aware of. Maybe it was an off night for them. Maybe I'm just grouchy. Birthdays sometimes do that. Guess I'd better see the Witch Doctor or something to get it straightened out. The company was grand: mom and dad; Adam, Renee, AJ, and EL; Nathan, Bekah, RD, and AM, and me. Their service gave us a lot of time to sit and visit. RD and AJ were darling. Both were in very good moods. RD had on hi...

The first weekend in September, I went to visit my sister in Cache Valley , because ZM was being blessed. I left Friday night shortly after Mini-Fest and changed from my performance costume to "street" clothes in the bathroom of a gas station in Highland. Needless to say, several customer gave me strange looks as I walked into the station in full regalia. (If you are unsure what that all entails, check out some of my earlier blogs about our dance troupe or visit our dance company website .) By the time I arrived in Hyrum, my nieces were both fast asleep. ZM (age 5 weeks) had waited up for me with his mom and dad, though. Saturday morning, Becca sent AL (nearly 2 years old) to see who was sleeping downstairs in the guest bedroom. How surprised was she to find me! Morning - Gotta Put on My May-up! While their mom and brother went to a friend's shower and their dad went to work, I took IC (age 4) and AL to the Utah State Fair . The drive to Salt Lake was full of silly songs ...