DAD AND MOM LOVE SERVING IN THE TEMPLE!

We enjoy driving to and from the Arizona Temple and sharing those experiences with each other that are appropriate to share. When dad comes out to get me at the end of each night (about 10 pm) he looks so handsome and he just beams! I still think I'm dreaming! My dream is to be there as a family - - ALL TOGETHER - - NO EMPTY CHAIRS! The endowment that we receive from our Heavenly Father is priceless and the Saving Ordinances that we receive are those which are necessary for us to live with Him again. Christ will come to His Holy Temple first when He returns again. A Temple Recommend is like having "Oil in your lamps". That picture hangs in our entryway to remind us to prepare for Christ's 2nd Coming! I hope you will each choose 1 thing to be fully obedient in this new year of 2008! Love to all! Mom

Make a photobook - it's easy!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

ALEX YODA in Texas and MADDAUX YODA in Arizona. What genetics brought on the big green ears in this family? This kid knows how to par-taa! Thank goodness for a mom who shares the pics through the web so we can see his cute-ness! Check out their blog for the "Ball in the Mouth" pictures! Hilarious!

WHAT DID YOU SAY GRANDMA - - WHAT BIG EARS I HAVE? The better to hear yo with, my dear! When will Maddaux know that he has a look-alike in Austin, TX? He is such a happy baby and he KNOWS he is loved - - and kissed - - and hugged - - and dragged around by his big brother and sisters. Can you believe that he is still smiling?

DEVANIE AND GRANDMA work on Devanie's pumpkin design and then we made caramel apples and salted pumpkin seeds. Devanie is a terrific worker and a wonderful big sister in loving and caring for the little ones!

RICK IS SEALED ETERNALLY TO HIS PARENTS in the Timpanogos, Utah Temple. Rick told grandpa and grandma that the greatest gift they could give him was to prepare to go to the temple of the Lord and to be sealed to him (and to their own parents). And now, after Grandpa Gurney has passed away, Grandma Gurney knows that she will be with her sweetheart again. We are blessed to be an eternal family!

LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT LESSON

“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God” (quoted in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle) TRIALS ARE THE PRICE THAT WE PAY TO COME TO KNOW GOD. EVEN THE THINGS WE DO WRONG WILL BRING US TO HIM, BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO REPENT, THROUGH THE ATONEMENT OF OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST - -GOD'S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON - - WHO BRINGS US TO OUR FATHER. This I know to be true and this I share with our children this beautiful fall day - - in love. Besos, MOM

PRINCESS LEIA BALLERINA DAZZLES US!

Star Wars' newest attraction is "Ballerina" Princess Leia, starring Roxie Gurney, who dances for her candy on tip toes and outstretched arms. When Grandma tended at Ryan and Cam's last night, the ballet show heightened, as Roxie dressed in her Barbie ballerina dress and danced on the big leather footrest - - until she was tired enough for stories.

DARTH VADER COMES TO GRANDMA'S HOUSE!

Space people came in the big black spaceship to visit Grandpa and Grandma! The mean guy was Darth Vader - - or is it Zander Vader? We hear that the Halloween witch was successful for the 3rd year in trading a special toy for ALL the candy!

HALLOWEEN CRAZIES

JONIQUE AND WESTON decorated the front patio area and made a scary Halloween experience for the neighbor kids - - including a black and white ghoul mask, scary music playing, tubs of dry ice, lots of spiders and spider webs, and lots of jack-o-lanterns and candles. They keep it fun around here!

A BRAND NEW ENDING

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might...
So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might!
Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved."
Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough."
That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to The Lord. "Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"
The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed? But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."
when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually all He wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him. Exercise the faith that PUSHES mountains, but know that it is still God Who MOVES the mountains.
When everything seems to go wrong.... Just P.U.S.H.
When the job gets you down....Just P.U.S.H.
When people don't do as you think they should...Just P.U.S.H.
When your money is "gone" and the bills are due...Just P.U.S.H.
When people just don't understand you....Just P.U.S.H.
P = Pray
U = Until
S = Something
H = Happens
"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

RYAN AND CAMBRIA MULTIPLIED BY 4!

AND THEN THERE WERE 4! Love at home, laughs, laying down on the floor together - - it couldn't get much better! Maddaux is SO LOVED by his big brother, Zander, and 2 sister, Roxie and Devanie!

DEVANIE, ZANDER AND ROXIE AND MERMAIDS

Devanie, Zander, Roxie and Grandma in the Hale Theatre waiting for the Mermaids to come onto stage. Jonique is taking the picture.

ARIEL was so nice,

but people were

pushing so much

that we took a

picture instead of

waiting for an

autograph.

TEXAS - - HERE WE COME!

Rory and Heather and their "living" treasures - - Alex and Charlie (in the cage on the floor in the center of the seats) say their last good-byes to Arizona!

Big Smile - - not suspicious of what lies ahead in this "cool" big truck!

MOVING DAY RORY, HEATHER AND ALEX

THE "BUBBLE WRAP" QUEEN AND KING
learn to "each" tow trailers - - Double the fun!

Alex says goodbye to his first home and jumps in the moving van with Dad - - having no clue of the days of torture ahead in the "buckle-up" seat.

They kiss a crying Grandma goodby and leave Mesa, AZ for Austin, TX.

There is no Greater Joy in this Life . . . than to know that you will be with those you love most FOREVER! Dad (Rick) told his dad and mom that the greatest gift they could give him was to prepare their lives so that they could go to the temple and be sealed to him eternally.

It was hard work - - and they got discouraged at times - - but they made it! They went to church and began learning the gospel, they stopped smoking, drinking alcohol and drinking coffee - - they paid a full tithing - - they accepted church callings to serve in the cannery, Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching. It was amazing to watch! And now, after Grandpa has died, Grandma is faithfully going to church on her own, is continuing to learn the gospel - - and she pays a full tithing every month.

Dad and I Love our Calling to Serve in the Arizona Temple each Thursday (2 pm - 9:30 pm)! The first day dad (Rick) was so nervous because he was afraid he would not be able to memorize the many things that are needed. He received an beautiful blessing from the Temple President when he was set apart that promised him he would be able to learn each of the sacred ordinances and that his children and grandchildren would be blessed through his service. The temple was busy and the men's department were short-handed, so dad was put to work immediately in key positions. He found that he was able to serve even if he didn't have everything memorized - - because whatever each person can give - - is perfect! I love being in the temple with my husband (and best friend) and to walk the halls where Jesus walks.

WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF JONIQUE AND THE GOOD CHOICES SHE IS MAKING!

She is counting the days until she is 19 years old (23, to be exact) and is going to Cedar City, UT next month to look at the George Wythe College for next year. She is the miracle in Weston's life - - and his bishop says that when Weston gets his mission call, it will definately be Jonique's mission call! She goes to Chandler Gilbert College 5 days a week (no one told her she could schedule less days), has recently quit her job at Dinner-by-Design (since they didn't pay her) has been helping dad and mom do "tree labor" at the Queen Creek house, and works for Ryan when he has stacks for her to do. In her spare time she hangs out with Weston and Hillary and miscellaneous massage school friends - - and plays cards with mom (to keep mom's brain working). Her favorite phrase is "That's true"! She wants to go to the Sand Dunes for Thanksgiving (not to Utah!).

HILARIOUS! GRANDPA JOE'S SPECIAL DAY

Each time that I talk to mom (Grandma Bluth) on the phone there comes a chirping/whistling bird sound in the background - - that I have learned is Grandpa Joe - - calling to her to come and do something for him. (I’ll have to admit that it’s a lot better than how he used to holler “LaRee!”) Last night Rod told me how mom was busy working outside then on her genealogy extraction work and Joe began whistling for her. He likes her to bring the newspaper in to him off the driveway in the mornings. Eventually Grandpa Joe got his walker and shuffled to the garage and onto his shiny red motorized scooter. When mom came out to the garage she found him trying to put a small screwdriver into the ignition. She could see he was confused and told him that he needed the key, then she went to bring it to him. She opened the garage door and then door into the kitchen so that he could ride his scooter into the house - - as he has recently been using it inside to get around.

When he successfully got his newspaper, Rod said that he heard him rev up at the ramp (to get up the step into the house), back down, and rev up again. This happened a couple of times - - then all of a sudden he shot into the house and crashed into the side of the refrigerator! There were some expletives - - then he angrily told mom that he couldn’t get his foot off the pedal! (You probably already know that the controls are on the handles.) Anyway, I wish I could send you a picture - - because the one I have in my mind has kept me laughing all day today! I hope you don’t think that I don’t love him - - it’s just that it’s sortta movie-like!

RORY, HEATHER, ALEX AND CHARLIE MOVE!

AUSTIN TEXAS, HERE WE COME!

This cute family loaded 2 moving trucks on October 8, 2007 and began their 1000 mile move to Leander, TX. It was obvious that the move was planned in heaven, because after Charles Schwab offered Rory a transfer, Rory and Heather went to Austin to check things out, purchased a home while there, then came to Mesa, AZ and listed their home (in a horrible real estate market). To all of our surprise, there was a bidding war on their home, and 3 weeks later they were moving to Austin! Their new address is: 300 Ashbury Drive, Leander, TX 78641 and their new phone is 512-986-6587. Neither Rory nor Heather had driven big trucks before, nor pulled trailers - - so this safe trip was a true success! Rory began work on 10/15/07 and Heather is busy putting their new home together! Grandma misses Alex - - but carries the memories of his non-stop laughing the last 2 days of being together!

THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR FAMILY

Riley married Ashley Romesburg on October 6, 2007 and we celebrated at their home in Maricopa, AZ. Riley had worked so hard at building a beautiful pergola in his back yard, pouring stamped concrete and planting trees. The weather was perfect, friends and family came to celebrate and we enjoyed Mom's mexican food (taquitos, pico de gallo and guacamole) plus dancing (did Roxie like it best?) and being together. Riley and Ashley have known each other for 5 years. We have loved her since we met her and have thought she was pretty tough (since she rides quads and wake boards and teaches 30 kindergarteners with no assistant). Riley has been glowing again since he made the decision to marry Ashley! He has always been our gentle giant and our peacemaker, with his powerful, beautiful spirit. They will be a beautiful family and do great things ahead!