Grandpa Sonnenberg's 90th

On Sunday afternoon, we had my Grandpa Sonnenberg's 90th Birthday Party!

My Dad came into town to surprise them.

They started to cry when they saw him, so he said he considered the trip a success.

Dalton made himself at home on the window seat, and Saxon and Bridger found some friends and explored the house.

Singing Happy Birthday to Grandpa...

Love this picture!

We had a really sweet program to honor Grandpa.

All of his kids that were there stood up to say something about him.

Some of the great-grandkids performed, and at the end, my cousin Renee's daughter Allison play "I am a child of God" on the guitar while all of the great-grandkids sang.  

At first Saxon refused but Pops said he'd give him a dollar.

Saxon said "I already have a dollar." (he found one somewhere?)

Pops said "I'll give you two."

So Saxon joined the group (in the back of course.)

Then Bridger said "I'll go for two dollars."

Pops agreed and so Bridger joined Saxon in the back of the group.

Me and my kids with Grandpa.

Grandma and Grandpa Sonnenberg and my family:

Gregor and Joy with Grandma and Grandpa:

I love the picture of Grandpa and Gregor.  They are like two peas in a pod.  Grandpa is always reminding Gregor to remember who he is named after (Gregor John).

Grandpa --->Dean--->Gregor...can you tell they're related :)

Saxon and Bridger helping Grandma open her present that they brought her and Baby Dalton spinning in the chair:

Grandma and I in our Surrealist skirts!

I wanted to make sure to get a picture with Grandma and Baby Dalton since he is named after her.

Aunt Joan was in town too which was really fun.

After the party, we all sat around listening to Aunt Joan, Uncle Brent, and my Dad tell stories.  I was so funny!  We've all heard the story about Grandma running over the cat, but I guess Uncle Brent was the one who had to scrap it off the driveway and throw it away.  I loved Grandpa's reaction too.  He said "You just threw it away?  You didn't bury it?"  I don't know if he thought Brent should have buried it, or if he was just surprised because they had so many buried pets out back that Grandma once set they had a pet cemetery.

Then Uncle Jim text Grandpa to say that his favorite memory was all of their trips to Florida, esp. the one where they left Brent at the gas station.

My Dad said that they left him at church once and didn't realize it until another member of the ward called and said "Did you know you left Dean at church."  And Grandpa replied "We did?  Oh.  Well, could you just bring him home then?"

Aunt Joan talked about how they were always poking holes in the basement ceiling with the pool cues. Then Brent brought up how they lost the hamster once and every so often it would peek through the holes in the basement ceiling and everyone would shout "There it is!" but no one could get it because it was between levels of the house.  Then one day Grandma found it in the box of Wheaties and said it was so fat from eating Wheaties all day every day.

Then they started joking about cooking.  I guess Oma always made true German food...meat and potatoes.  Grandma also made German meat and potatoes for Grandpa.  Although about once a week she would make a tuna casserole.  They said that Grandpa would come home and tell Grandma how lovely dinner looked and then say "aren't the socks in town tonight?"  Then he would load up the boys in the car and head to the baseball field.  When Grandma would ask about dinner he would say, "Oh, we'll just grab a hot dog."  Then he would get to park by the exit because he's a doctor and needed an easy way out in case anyone called for him (he's a dentist) :)

Then my Dad brought up "creamed chipped beef".  He asked Grandma for the recipe and she didn't respond.  At first we thought she didn't hear, and then she said "why do you want that?  You never liked that!"  LOL.  He never did like it but he thought it would be funny to make for his family :)  Grandpa said that whenever Grandma would make "creamed chipped beef" everyone would go diving for the cereal.

One thing that really impressed me when everyone was talking about Grandma and Grandpa was how everyone kept saying "I always knew that Grandma and Grandpa wanted me."  It's hard to make middle children feel "really wanted" especially in large families.  I'm going to have to ask for some advice.  I love my children and hope they always feel "really wanted."

They also joked about driving to Florida in the station wagon and having other people try to count how many heads were in the car because there were so many kids.

Grandpa and I always joke that I am following his pattern (3 boys first).  He thinks I should have 7 like they did.  They started off in an apartment too and had all 3 of their boys in the little apartment.  Then they moved to a little house and then each house after that was bigger.

I can't remember any more of their stories, but if I think of them, I'll add them in because they were hilarious!

Me and my Dad.

I told him that the last picture of us together was probably from my wedding.

I forced Mike into this picture but I think it turned out good :)

Grandpa with me and Baby Dalton.

Dalton LOVED this balloon.  He kept throwing it.  At one point, he threw it and it started to go over the railing.  I tried to hit it back to us but it just went higher, then Grandma hit it, then Joan, and then it got caught in a breeze and went up on the roof.  Then it flew over the roof and back down the other side where Nate caught it and gave it back to Dalton.  He loved it!

Happy 90th Birthday Birthday Grandpa!  We LOVE you!