"You're Kidding! Lois is 90?"- A Birthday Bash

A party that Roger and I did not want to miss 

was his mother, Lois's, birthday celebration on the day she turned 90.

We drove Up North the day before, September 17, 

to stay and hang out with her through her birthday weekend.

We love to spend time with this amazing woman 

who wakes up cheerful and stays that way 

until she finally lays her head down at about midnight every night. 

 Her days are full of activity - attending great-grandkids ball games, 

baking and doing for others and crocheting, needle-pointing and quilting -

 her hands never stop!

Her birthday morning started off with a bang!

The phone rang off the hook, two different florists delivered beautiful bouquets 

(in the pic, this isn't all the flowers she received!), 

and she had visitors drop by to wish her a Happy Birthday.

And her mailbox was full of birthday cards!

Her nephew, Aunt Florence's son, Alan Brown, stopped by.

Her kids took her to lunch at the place of her choice - Kneaders.

I got to tag along.

Each of her kids, their kids and families made a two-page spread of pics and expressions of love 

for her on this momentous occasion. 

Her daughter, Shellie, put it all together in a beautiful book, 

which we presented to her at lunch.

She was overwhelmed and overjoyed!

It was Roger's and my job to keep her busy on errands after lunch, so her family could decorate her house, 

front and back, with 90 pink balloons.

She knew about her party to be held that evening, 

but the balloons were a surprise!

Lots of cars passing by slowed down to take in this happy sight!

A bounce slide was brought and blown up for the kids.

This boy is so proud to be her son!

Like-wise for Scott. And Chyrrl, Susie and Shellie are proud to be her daughters.

 Lois was Queen for a Day!

Rick, Jodie and kids were some of the first to arrive at the party.

The little kids LOVED the slide, and kept it hot throughout the party.

 Blake couldn't get enough!

 Nor could Miss Addie . . .

. . . and her little brother, Charlie!

Guests just kept coming!

Grandma Lois has 26 grandchildren, 80 great-grandchildren and 2 great-greats!

Over 70 attended her party, several coming from out of town.

 Each family brought their favorite pizza and we made some salads and veggies for everyone.

The rented cotton candy machine,

which Roger and Chyrrl are figuring out how to operate in the pic,

was a BIG HIT!

Scott and Sherie's daughter-in-law, Michelle, knew her way around a cotton candy machine!

Stacy and Tom's Sydney and her new fiancee, Jake Walker, 

drove to Grandma's from BYU.

She was excited to introduce him to the Stratford clan . . . 

. . . and show us her gorgeous ring!

Craig Haslam took some great pics of the party and I have included some of his.

This is Craig with son, Mike and his cute little daughter Berkley.

We were tickled that Mindy and kids could come to Grandma's party.

 Shellie is holding one of three of Scott and Sherie's baby granddaughters, 

who were born about a week apart.

 Cute cousins

Fiona with her mommy

Shellie's Kara and husband, Josh, with Brandon's little girl, Reese

 We got a pic of Lois's kids and spouses (minus JaNae, who was out of town).

Some of us took turns getting a pic with the Birthday Girl.

Scott and Sherie's son, Todd's, wife, Julie, made Lois the MOST DELICIOUS birthday cake.

Roger's cousin, Butch, and his daughter came over to take pics of the birthday party guests.

This is Roger's sister, Shellie's family, minus their missionary son, Carson.

 We couldn't round up all of Rick's kids for the pic.

 This is such a cute pic of Susie with her mom.

Susie, with her mom and two daughters, Angie and Jenny

We didn't take a pic, but after it got dark, the kids watched, "Cinderella,"

shown on a big sheet outside, cuddling up together with pillow and blankets 

and munching on popcorn. 

Grandma has never been much interested in going to movies, 

but someone talked her into going to the recently-filmed, "Cinderella," 

and she loved it and went again.

So it was one of her birthday presents, 

and she wanted to watch it with "her kids" at her party. 

Everyone was putting up pics of Lois on Instagram and Facebook.

While all of the adults were talking, Addie and Charlie found Grandma's toys 

that they love to play with when they visit.

About the only non-occupied spot to play was on her stair well.

About the time that the party was held, little Fi was beginning to crawl.

No one was in a hurry to leave.

It was such a fun party, being together with loved ones.

Next day, we took Lois out to lunch at her favorite, Chuck-A-Rama!

On Sunday, we went to church with Grandma, then Chyrrl and Glynn came over to a nice Sunday dinner.

Just before we hit the road for home, we took pics with Grandma's gorgeous roses, now in full bloom.

Lois said that her birthday was so much fun, she would stick around for her 100th!

I'm not sure how we're going to top this one, but perhaps we'll hire a brass band, 

jump out of a cake,

 have an airplane write, "Happy Birthday Lois!" in the sky . . .