Happy Birthday to the Leach Family!

HAPPY 50TH ANNIVERSARY MOM & DAD!!

(or as they call it..The Family Birthday!)

50 YEARS...WOW! It's sad that it's all too rare to see a couple together that long anymore! I'm sure they will be the 1st to tell you it takes constant work & no one said it was easy! Mom & Dad met at BYU, they even have their initials carved in a tree there on campus (oh cute :}). What I love most about my mom & dad is their genuine love, kindness & caring nature for everyone! That's an understatement; but, if you know them, you would agree!

So, as mentioned in the earlier blog, to celebrate the big day, our siblings decided it would be fun to rent a cabin. Give us a place to just hang out, relax & play games together. We get so rushed in life & barely have time to keep up with each other & all the family happenings, so it was a perfect idea! We got this beautiful newly built cabin up Tollgate Canyon, east of Park City/Heber. Laurie, and the girls, were really hoping to see snow when they got here from Alabama. Well, up here, that was not a problem! They definately saw their share of snow. It never stopped the whole time we were there! I'm a bit sick of it in the valley; but, it was great when you want to just hibernate in the cabin anyway. And it sure was pretty too! (just not fun trying to get up/down the mountain!...just ask Jim, he'll tell you all about it! :})

Here's a few pics of the place. It was spacious enough to fit the 28 or so of us up there, which could have been a bit of a challenge! I loved the whole lob cabin feel all throughout!

As I said, the snow up in our gorgeous mountains made for beautiful scenery!

Little Haiden has quickly learned to climb the stairs!

Laurie was so excited to get the chance to catch up with everyone!
And she was LOVIN' all this snow!
Everyone's arriving, let the laughs begin!
This hot tub was a hit! It didn't matter that it was snowing still! They thought it was cool to jump out in the snow & then get back in. Crazy kids! :}

And we were so excited that Jen could make it back for this too!! I know she wishes she could have brought the whole family (we did miss them!); but, we loved getting the time with her, John & Sam too!

The game room was certainly a hit with the kids (and us too! :})
Mom & Dad were so glad to have this quality time with the family. They could not ask for a better gift!

Doug & John were having fun with their "BYU/Utes Rivalry" thing. All in fun of course! :}
Our family loves to play games...this gave us the perfect opportunity!

The troopers who stayed up all night gabbin' & gigglin' (oh, to be a teenager again! :} Well, ok, Jenn is 21 now; but, she's still a young thing who apparently can function on no sleep!)
Uncle Bug having fun with Haiden

Dyl would never turn down a chance to be playing something!
Cathy & Jon getting in on the pool action!

Now where did Doug put John's BYU hat? :}

Jessica...Kaley's latest "accessory". She has clung on to her every chance possible in the 2 weeks they were here, from the moment she met her new cousin! (it was precious though! :})
We were glad TC got to make it up the next day! (and could with all the new snow we'd gotten!)

Judy & Jennifer soaking in the whole "Big Family" experience!
On the acutal night of their anniversary, we sat around and shared memories & favorite things about Mom & Dad/Grandma & Grandpa. We spent the afternoon puting together this scrapbook for them, which brought on a lot of laughs while putting it together. It was a special gift to present them, with all of us adding our own page (or two or three :}) full of kind thoughts, pictures, etc.
Oh how I love our family! Wish Steve could have been here this weekend to make this picture complete; but, thankful for getting the rest of us together at the same time (not easy to do with a big family spread out!)....and glad we still got to see him a couple weeks earlier, we'll take what we can get! It's been a long while since so many of us could be together at once!

Grandma & Grandpa enjoying time with their grandkids

Brother & Sisterly Love...can you say, "Special"? :}
Our kids enjoying time with Aunt Laurie

Then we just started getting silly with building pyramids

Here we come crashing down!

Oh sweet! Movie time must have wore them out! :}

Aunt Laurie couldn't get enough hugs! :}

Annie getting a game in with Sam before we had to leave
Unfortunately, it had to come to an end! :{ As I mentioned there was a lot of snow, so getting back down the mountain wasn't quite as easy. Some got stranded for a few extra hours due to cars going off the road & Jim so kindly pulling them out & getting chains on their tires. But, we did make it back home safely with tons of wonderful memories made!

Reunited with Steve & Kerri

After way too many years, we finally got to see our brother & his wife, Steve & Kerri. Not sure how we let so many years go by; but, I have made a personal committment to make sure that never happens again! Steve & I were much alike & had many good times growing up together. I've really missed him! And along with their visit brought along the anxiously awaited moment to meet our most adorable niece, Alexis. And what a ham she is! So glad they made it back!!

The brothers, Glenn & Steve, who used to torture me growing up! I still love 'em anyway! :}

Not sure what TC is doing there; but, he's probably up to something! :}

Steve likes to hide from the camera; but, there's him with his cute family! :}

Dylan in his "natural habitat" in front of the playstation

Kaley really wants to keep Alexis for a sister!

We couldn't get enough of her!!

Glenn being his silly self with the rib bones

Taylor likes to hide from me when I have the camera...still got him anyway!

Doug taking his turn playing with her too

Dad hobbling along after his last visit to the hospital, poor guy!

Soaking up the time together

The boys getting in some basketball

My cute sis, Colleen

Some other cuties, Sherrie & Anjila

And then Cathy & Mary...all kinds of cuties around me! :}

Oh, that's precious!

Glad Jenn could join us too! :}

Picture time with Mom & Dad

Steve catching one of his infamous self portraits with the camera (almost every time we've been together, we have one of these poses together)

Dylan & Spencer being silly by pulling their pants way up

"Get him Haiden!" :}

Bradon playing with Haiden too

Seriously, is she just not such a cutie?!

Everyone just kicking back watching some March Madness

She's a girl full of expression! :}

Kaley loves to play with Haiden too!

And she sure loves her Anj! She also wants to be a Ute Cheerleader "just like my cousin Anji!"

Our entrepeuner has figured out how to make a few bucks with the family...she rubbed Sherrie's back, and vacuumed for TC. You go girl! :}

The Family Get Away Weekend

I sit here right now looking over a table of family members, while they play a game of Hit The Table (a Tate Family tradition...Grandma loves this game), listening to the sound of laughter (along with the Jazz game in the background of course). What a great sound that is! I'm looking at Dad, watching over his family with a big grin, how proud he is of us. We have rented a cabin up here in the mountains east of Park City to celebrate Mom & Dad's 50th Anniversary. What beautiful country it is here! Especially since we've had a lot of snowfall this week (though I'm a little sick of it in the valley, it sure is pretty up here!) And Laurie & the girls were certainly excited to see snow! (which the girls never have seen before). And they certainly have plenty to see, the back porch is up past the roof! We will actually have almost the whole family here at once (just minus Steve & Kerri who couldn't come this week; but, we did get to see a couple weeks ago...more on that to come). It's been a long time since we've all been together at once! It's just hard with a big family, and with others living out of town. So how neat we finally got a chance to be together like this! I love my family...they just rock! Just the funnest & nicest people I know! I mean, not to bragg & all; but, really...I lucked out in that area! :} There will be lots of pictures to come (of course...we just got here this evening & I all ready have a lot :}); but, I just wanted to share the moment for now. Here's to a much needed break & quality family time!! :}