HAPPY 31st BIRTHDAY TO RILEY!
It's so amazing to celebrate someone so special as Riley on his birthday - - and to look at all the joy and blessings his life brings to each of us! Our 3rd little (not anymore) son, Riley, brought to our home an amazing peace. He has been a lover of peace, even as a 2-year-old in his little red tennis shoes, diapers and a bottle hanging from his teeth. That is how he liked to dress as he played with his big Fisher Price dump truck, front end loader and crane. We didn't know then that he would be amazingly handsome and stylish when he grew up!
Grandpa Bluth (Lynden) always had a special connection to Riley, who looks a lot like he did. Also, their coloring and genetic background both are very Swedish / German. Every summer when we came to visit our grandparents in Scottsdale, AZ, Ryan or Rory would have cut Riley's hair - - thus he was bald (again). Grandpa always called him "My Little Swede" or "Guero Pelon" (spanish for blonde baldy). Riley has Grandpa Bluth's intelligence genes also, and he is interesting to talk to because he has always read or studied up on interesting details - very intelligent!
Ashley is the love of his life! We love how he loves her! I always knew that whomever Riley chose as his wife would be loved deeply and tenderly. He was that was with every animal or person that he met. Now he can focus all that love on someone as beautiful and special as Ashley! I'm so grateful to be his mom, and have always appreciated the love that Riley gives to all of us in his family - and now, how he cares for and loves Ashley's family!
Rick (dad) loves working with him each day! We're so proud of how hard he works, how amazingly well he relates to and works with people, and what good work he does. We often hear from our customers at how much they love Riley! Riley, you are truly a blessing to us - and we appreciate who you are and all that you do!
Rick, posing, or is he attaching his winch to the roots of the tree in our front yard? At the end of our anniversary dinner (alfredo pasta and broccoli) we do what we do best together - - work! Our front lawn had become a "nightmare on elm street" - or should I say, a "nightmare on Ficus street", with lots of seedlings from our ficus tree growing all over the lawn. When we tried to pull them out we found that they were attached to huge roots (4 inches thick and 12-15 feet long). It became a fun mud bogging experience but in the end our front yard looked like a war zone! 
This was the first root that Rick pulled by hand, before he needed the truck. I didn't pick up the camera as the mud got deeper. Needless to say, the day began with a great Arizona morning swim, and ended with a great Arizona swim!
