Happy 80th Birthday Grandma Nielson

My wonderful Grandma Nielson's 80th birthday is today and last Saturday we had a birthday party for her. What a fabulous event. I was asked to help by making a video to display, which I was very happy to do. I started the video with my Grandma as a baby, then as young child and with her siblings, as a teenager, with my grandpa when they were first married and then with their young children, through the years as their children grew up, and then each of her own kids with their families now. It was fun finding all different kinds of pictures with grandma in them. I got a picture of EVERY member of her posterity in it as well. I asked her for her favorite songs "way back when" to put the final touches on it. It was fun to make, but also very emotional. Seeing so many pictures of my beautiful mother. As a baby, growing up, as a bride and then our last family picture before she died. I love and miss her so much and when we all get together to celebrate special events, it is always so hard not having her there. My grandma was so happy about the whole night. She had a great turn out, good food and she said she felt so special and loved and had a wonderful night. That is exactly what we wanted for her. She told me that she was so "tickled" about the whole thing and she "got a kick out of watching her grandkids dancing" (thanks Lacy and Ashley for starting it off) and "watching all my sweet great grandkids playing together" I am so grateful to have such a WONDERFUL family. I am grateful for the closeness we share. My cousins have always been like sisters to me and my aunts are my "moms" and I thank all of them for that. 

Our Nielson Clan- we have not had a family picture since 1995 and there has been A LOT of additions since then (actually none of us grandkids were married or had kids) I thought it was about time to do another one. I figured we probably won't have EVERYBODY at the same time ever but this is as close as it gets. There were more here than at the family reunion in July. Oh boy have we grown!!! 

                           Grandma with all her girls!!