Nana is 60, And Happy 40th!!

This weekend we went to S.L.O. to celebrate my mother-in-law's 60th birthday, and my in-laws 40th wedding anniversary (coming up later this month). We all surprised them by sending them to a spa at Avila Beach for brunch and a soak in the hot springs, followed by wine tastings at various wineries, but at their last winery as they arrived for tastings, a chorus of Joneses & Cheney's surprised Nana by singing Happy Birthday! It was a great surprise! We had a wonderful lunch there at the winery, and blessed her with a frame filled with family photos and "60 Things We Love About Mom."




60 Things We Love About Mom

You always made the best costumes for me, like the Hobo, Superman, Spaceman and the Warewolf. You always went out of your way to give us your best most creative ideas.-Michael • I love that you have always been so creative and have nurtured that in me. You always let me try out whatever crafts or projects you were working on, from tole painting to jewelry making.- Lindsey • You are a great role model.- Jennifer • I always loved when you would visit me during college, You always took me grocery shopping.-Christopher • We have appreciated all of your love, support, cheering, back rubs, tenderness and prayers at the arrival of all of our children... “It’s a boy, and he’s hung!”- Michael & Denise • I always like going in the car with you and Gramps.-Luke • I appreciate you taking time with me to make all my formal dresses.- Lindsey • You are a wonderful listener and teacher.-Jennifer • We loved going to Europe with mom/ nana and dad/ gramps! -Sean, LIndsey, Gracie & Lily • Thank you for being a Den Mother and Soccer Mom, and supporting and encouraging all the other programs and activities I was involved in.- Michael • I will always remember our special time during your pedicures-Michelle • You taught me how to make great chocolate chip cookies.-Jennifer • We are so thankful to have had you in the delivery room for the birth of each of our 3 kids. -Sean & Lindsey • We really liked playing miniature golf with you.- Luke & Nicholas • You treat everyone as an individual.-Charles • Cyndi Presho once told me that after dropping me off for college in Montana, she found you crying in the backroom at the office because you missed me. I didn’t realize how it affected you. - Michael • I always appreciated your support for leaving highschool early and moving to SLO.-Christopher • I love that you are never afraid to dive into a project and get dirty.- Lindsey • “Mmmhm”-Denise • Your support and help with the birth of our two children.-Christopher & Michelle • I liked when we went to tea, and we had peach tea with scones for my 5th b-day. I also liked when we went shopping and to Baja Fresh for my 7th b-day. I like having girl time with you. -Emilie • I liked when you did take me to Disney on Ice, and I weared the Minnie costume, and I holded your hand. And I liked when we went to “Macawoni Greel”, and I liked shopping with you.-Josie • You’re never ending love and support.-Christopher & Jennifer • I love that you never taught jennifer or I to wear make-up, that it was always unimportant and unnecessary.-Lindsey • I like when you read a Christmas story to us. We sit right by you on the chair. We like having family time with you. -Noah, Emilie & Josie • Thank you for your acceptance of me and my choices, that you love me just the way I am.-Jennifer • Your infamous YMCA dance on the back of the boat.-Christopher • I loved hearing of your tenderness, in how you sang hymns to gramps as he went home. He went from your praise to the praise of a heavenly choir.- Denise • It meant so much to me to have your support all throughout the volleyball seasons. You made it to almost every game and tournament, home and away.-Lindsey •
When I am singing in church, you look at me in a way that says, "that's my girl." I love when you delight in me.- Denise • You are incredibly generous of heart.-Charles • I love all the special halloween costumes you made for me and my boys over the years.-Christopher • We all cherish our weekend at the Delta in Callisto, and look forward to more.-Christopher, Michelle, Luke & Nicholas • We love the fun gifts that you bring back for us from your trips with gramps.-Gracie & Lily • I love your gift of hospitality and generosity in sharing your home. When I was dating Michael, he invited a group of us over to the house, I said, "don't you need to ask your parents?" He replied, "no, it is my house too." That was so foreign to me to be able to have people in your home whenever. I want a home like that. In my 14yrs here, I have lived with you twice (as a 21 yr old girl and as your daughter-in-love), I have had weekend events in your home, and I have had more parties there than I can count (most of them with your help, as you grow hospitality in me). Your home is now my home too, and I find it and you to be the home I grew up in.- Denise • You always sees the positives and have a perma-grin.-Charles • You are always ready for a new adventure.-Jennifer • I love that you gave me free access to your sewing machine to learn how to sew. Sorry for breaking it so many times!- Lindsey • I had fun when we walked around the big house and we went to the donut store with Nana and Gramps. -Josie • I love that you always made us the coolest halloween costumes!-Lindsey • You modeled being still and knowing that He is God In those moments just after Emilie's birth as you prayed. Then stayed at my side, when I couldn't be by hers (and thanks for breaking the window to get the camera, I would have missed all those moments with out it).- Denise • Having you involved with Bass Lake Ski School-Christopher • I love how you love my kids, play with them, and connect with them.- Lindsey •I will always treasure our trips to Puerto Vallarta and remember you doing tequilla poppers at a Fiesta.-Christopher • I like that you always sends me a valentines day card and little gift.-Jennifer • I enjoyed hearing that you bragged about me to the gallary owner in Laguna, and wanted to make it known that your son made the images. I often hear you brag about all of us kids. I like that you are so proud of all your children. -Michael • I appreciate how helpful you are when you visit.- Lindsey • So much of who I am is because of you.-Jennifer I so appreciate the close friendship we have even after the years of hardships I put you through. You are very forgiving.- Lindsey • You are very fair minded and diplomatic, which can be a challenge with 4 kids and their SO's-Charles • I like your never-ending creativity.-Jennifer • Softball tournaments at Bass Lake, loved having you at school, except when I hit Lindsey with a tennis ball at recess.-Christopher • I want to be like you when I grow up, for you are not easily rattled by life’s circumstances, you alwasy give room to learn and grow, and you never judge. You listen, love, hope, wait and trust._-Denise • You have always been very welcoming and immediately made me feel part of the family.-Charles • Thank you for passing the “family jeans” to me. -Michael • I appreciate how laidback and easy going you are about holidays and birthdays. And that you never hold a grudge when I forget your birthday, anniversary, or mother's day! sorry again, mom!- Lindsey • I always loved my birthday parties at Malibu Grand Prix.-Christopher • I liked when Nana took me on Space Mountain (my first roller coaster ride) for the first time. I had so much fun!- Noah/ I remember the excitement in your voice when you called and told me my baby went on a rollercoaster and loved it-Denise • You were such a great role model for us and you instilled a good work ethic in us.-Christopher •

The weekend was made more wonderful because we got to see our new nephew (just 2 weeks old) Silas Ryan Cheney! Oooh look at those yummy cheeks (his not mine), and all that hair! It's fun to have a baby in the family again (especially when I can hold'm when I want then give'm back).