Happy Birthday Stevie!!

Yesterday was Steve's 56th Birthday and we celebrated by going...where else... SUBWAY!! 

Stevie loved Subway sandwiches... so much that he even gave Subway a shout-out in his obituary!!

 We know Steve was at Subway with us...maybe trying to sneak some of the banana peppers off my sandwich!! We think that he is trying to petition to open a franchise in Heaven - he would have a corner on the market there!

All we had to say to the very kind but puzzled man who offered to take our picture out front is, "There is a reason we are all standing under the a random Subway sign wanting our picture taken" and that reason is FOR STEVIE!!

 With 22 McDermott's in the Subway we pretty much took it over... actually, I think we were the only ones in there for most of the time we spent! The employees were probably hoping for a quiet Saturday night... until the McDermott's arrived!!

 Deacon loved feeling Lily and Gracie's pretty skirts! 

Gracie was so patient... being the youngest of 7, she was sure okay with a little baby mauling her the whole time!!

After dinner we headed up to the cemetery to sing Happy Birthday!

James had the good idea to put a LiveStrong band around the vases on either side of the bench! They fit perfectly and are a perfect accent to the beautiful yellow sunflowers and wildflowers!!

The kids had a fun time running around with their balloons!  

What would a birthday party be without them??!! 

 Lexie and Ellie were so cute with Deacon and Londyn!!

 

Deacon likes to show us how big he is getting by climbing onto the bench...

 ...by HIMSELF!!

 

 Once he was standing on the bench THEN he could really let his balloon blow in the wind!!

Then it was time to let the balloons fly away into the darkening sky!

It was surprisingly emotional for James and I to sing Happy Birthday.

I think it hit us again that he is not physically here with us anymore and it made us miss him a lot.

It is hard to remember that he is free from the trials he faced on this Earth when we miss him so much, but we have to try to remind ourselves that he is happy beyond our understanding and he can do all the things he loves to do without anything holding him back. 

Happy 56th Birthday Stevie! We love you!

S'Mores Anyone??!!

We finally had Gene and Mary Ann over for dinner and s'mores.  It was so fun to get to spend time with them and give Deacon some good Great Grandparent bonding time!! 

And bond he did... right to Mary Ann!!  She won him over immediately with a new football, which he took over to his water table and soaked...

...before running back to her to get her all wet!! 

 He also loved climbing up on the back of her chair...

and then having her turn around and be so surprised to see him there!!  It was so cute!! 

He had big kisses for his Grandpa Gene

and was sure to showcase all his tricks to make his Great Grandpa proud!!

I don't know what Gene thought of Deacon's dance moves but I think they are pretty great!!

( haha!... I think he has been getting lessons from his dad!! )

Then it was time for S'mores!!

 Gene likes his Flaming!!!! 

 

Mary Ann likes hers with Caramello's... 

nothing like melted caramel AND chocolate with your mallow!!

Jimmy likes his perfectly roasted!!!

I like mine to be all kinds of chocolaty gloriousness!!

And Deacon likes his to have a gooey mallow that stretches for miles...

 ...and then ends up all over his face and in turn, all over his fingers (and everything else in sight!!)

A huge thank you to whoever invented S'mores!!  They are so versatile... made just the way we like them!!!  YUM!!

Montana... Finally!!

Deacon has had a lot of fun with his cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and great grandparents these last few weeks!

We went to Bozeman Montana to visit Christina and Brett. My mom, Em, Austin, Lucy and Gavin had flown in a few days before the rest of us (including Dave, Kara, Anna, James, Dylan and Hannah) had gotten there.  We had quite the crowd invading the Walker household but Brett is so good and he has learned quickly how the Fisher family can pretty much take over life as he knows it!!!

Deacon had so much fun playing with his cousins and floating the Madison river! 

Grandma and 5 of her favorite little people!!

(we are sad the other 3 of her favorite little people weren't here with us this time!!)

Deacon loves when his cousin Anna gives him kisses!!!

 I LOVE this picture!!

Deacon did so good in the raft and actually sat VERY still and relaxed next to his Grandma, cousin Gavin and Aunt Emily! (He actually spent most of the two hours cuddling up to his Aunt Emily... and loving every minute of it!!)

Floating the river calmed him right down and he just hung out... he even let my mom "share" her sunglasses with him.  He kept them on and wore them for a good ten minutes! (Of course he won't ever wear HIS sunglasses!!)

Floating relaxed sweet baby James too!  Here he is nustled in the tube with him mom and Tres (aka...baby #3... due in November, not finding out gender.... VERY frustrating for doting Aunts!!!)

We stayed all together and floated (with the occasional water fight) in a giant group down the river... 

 It was so much fun! 

I wish we had something like that close to us in Utah... I would go every weekend!!!

The next day we went into Yellowstone National Park to see Old Faithful... 

When in Rome right?? Er, Montana!!??

We had to stop for lunch at "The Taco Bus"...

 Yes, the Taco BUS...

 It was actually really good!  Em went to KFC to get Mac and Cheese for the kids but Deacon didn't mind my chicken burrito from the Taco Bus!!

Then it was time to see Old Faithful! 

We had an hour before the "predicted" time it would go off so we walked around and saw other geysers near Old Faithful.

Deacon mostly loved hanging out on Dad's shoulders! (and pulling out James' hair)

 ...and then running away from Dad...

Anna taking a picture of me...

 ..taking a picture of her...

Could you tell we had a little time to kill??!!

And then... Ta Da!! Old Faithful!!!

 

 But my favorite part of all??.... Getting a kiss from my sweet little boy!!

It was a quick weekend trip but it was full of cousins and fun!!  

Thanks Christina and Brett for being such wonderful hosts!!