Grandma Evelyn Young's 95th Brithday Party

I flew to Salt Lake City at 6am on Saturday for my Grandma's (mom's mom) 95th Birthday Party. The party was held in Wallsburg at an old Ward Building that now belongs to the town and is used as a Town Hall. It was great to see Grandma, my cousins, Aunts and Uncles. Grandma had nine children, six of whom are still living. She has something like 46 grandchildren (I'm one of the younger ones) and probably at least twice as many great-grandchildren and many great-great grandchildren.

Grandma loved having her family around. She had been staying with my parents in Idaho and had worried for days about getting to the party in time. We had a great turn-out, 96 family members came. Grandma said it was the best party she's ever been to! Afterwards many of us went to my Aunt Mary's house and hung out talking. We spent a lot of time remembering times long ago and telling stories. We laughed for probably 6 hours straight and ate leftover birthday cake for dinner! I eventually fell asleep on the couch (2 hours of sleep the night before + 1 on the plane). The "older crowd" (my mom's age and up) outlasted my age group and stayed up way past midnight talking and remembering lives well lived. I know this because they were rowdy and kept waking me up! They must have been having a great time because they were up at the crack of dawn starting it all up again. (I think there must have been 30 people stay over at my Aunt Mary's. The floors were covered, the 3 guest bedrooms were filled, the sofas in the three "living areas" were taken....) I've decided they know how to throw a slumber party!

Pictured TOP Photo: my sister, Mirriam and me with Grandma; MIDDLE Photo (top starting at the leftside: my cousin Donette's daughter Frankie Rae; my cousin Donette; my sister Mirriam; my mom Cheryl; my sister Katie; bottom row starting at left: my cousins Stephanie, Alyse and Carie)- these are some of the cousins that I grew up with; BOTTOM photo: Birthday girl!