Columbus

For the past several years, the first weekend in February has been a weekend of celebration for Bill's family. It always includes a birthday party for Bill's grandma, whose birthday is right at the beginning of February. And it usually involves some other excuse for a party too, like a belated Christmas party. Or, as was the case this year, a bridal shower for Bill's cousin, Molly.

After the bridal shower Saturday morning, a few people went treasure hunting at the Simon House- a thrift store where Bill's grandma volunteers on a weekly basis and usually picks up the "winner" of the Christmas white elephant gift exchange. This year's treasures showed up in the form of prizes at Grandma Helen's birthday party.

Since it was her 90th birthday this year, it was an even larger than usual gathering of family and friends. There's never a shortage of fun when this group gets together!

 Some wise aunt/grandmother had the foresight to bring this Lego building game to keep the kids occupied.

Trouble, if I ever saw it.

The mother/grandmother (ahem, Rita) of this pair must be proud.

The birthday girl was the lucky recipient of one of the Simon House prizes for the night. It's hard to see in this picture, but only the people who had a name with an "s" in it were entered into the drawing for this prize because the prize was (wait for it) an "S."

Uncle Steve was the winner of the educator prize. Due to the large number of educators in the Shadle family, the treasure hunters were proud to offer a plaque that read, "It's too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy teaching school," or something to that effect.

It wouldn't be a party without cake!