BIRTHDAY CHEERS FOR RORY!!!

I loved finding these pictures of Rory and Heather - pre and post children! They are a gorgeous couple - but I think the kids make them even cuter!

When I finally got hold of Rory by phone on his birthday, he told me that they had gone to IHop for breakfast! And while we talked, Heather was making him homemade Chicken and Noodles - his favorite food! A sure gift of love from Heather - since she hates it and thinks we're nuts for loving Ketchup on it! Aurora was trying to talk to me while Rory was talking - but then Alex decided to join in the conversation and I could tell that Rory was being smothered in love!

Rory had been home on vacation for the week prior to his birthday, and he had finished his season as Manager of his department at Charles Schwab. It's so fun to hear about all that he is learning and experiencing there! I'm so proud of you, Rory, and happy that you enjoy and continue to progress in your job! I was reading in my journal about when you worked for Dean Davis - and then when you worked for Clark Tilley. Also, about when your clunker car died and you were stranded and when you worked at the Tempe computer store and were top salesman your first day.

I'll never forget your wedding day and our experience at the San Diego Temple when you were eternally sealed to your best friend and eternal companion Heather! It was no ordinary day - as most people wouldn't want to marry on Friday the 13th - but because of that, the temple was nearly empty - and special care was taken to provide for you two the teachings that you would want to remember all your lives so that you can honor the sacred covenants that you made with your Heavenly Father. I'm so grateful for you, my precious son, and know that you are one of God's most choice sons! I thank Him for entrusting you to me for those years that you were in my care - and now He is asking you to care for your 3 precious family members as their protector, provider and Priesthood leader. May this year be one of your best! I love you!

RILEY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY FUN

Riley was the "Super Fun Hero" at his birthday party - with lots of fun pool action for everyone! The rides were high, the pool was like Big Surf, the company was great and I can't remember what we ate - but I do remember that Cheesecake is his favorite, and that's what we ate!

We celebrated a day early because he and Ashley (and the papoose that she is packing inside and front of her) were going backpacking and camping for the next few days. Ryan and Cam were in Hawaii so we had their kids staying with us and it was quite a party! Jacob and Jonique had just moved in also, so the house was full again and full of life!
Riley is such a great blessing to our family! He brought with him from Heaven an incredible peace that permeated our family. When he was little his tummy got upset if we were ever angry at one another or stressed. I am grateful for his "thermometer" of our behaviors! Riley has always been the one to take in any stray or hurting animal - and he does that with people too! I know that he is one of Heavenly Father's special sons and that his kindness will be rewarded in heaven!

I want to thank Heavenly Father for this magestic son - who has so much good in him - and who I am so privileged to be his mother! Riley, I love you so much and am so happy for you and Ashley - that in this (your 32nd year of life) you will be blessed with a baby daughter to love, protect and to teach. This is going to be the greatest year in Riley's life - with his wife to love and a daughter to nurture.

RICHARD'S BIRTHDAY

Our baby boy turned 21 this year -and I have had to smile when I think of the little guy whose back was always itchy - and he rubbed it against corners of walls and on the carpet - so we called him BEAR. Now he's quite a man and we see greatness in him in so many good things that he does! He quietly serves others by doing the dishes, helping dad clean out and fix projects that need to be done, cleaning the garage, fixing people's vehicles - and so much more!

Then there's this quirky, quiet, funny side of Richard where he does things that make us laugh - and here he is with my yellow and green zucchini eating it like corn on the cob! That is where I got the name of BOOG for him! He's my little booger!

I love that birthdays keep coming around because we get together - and somehow life is so busy that we often need excuses to get together! Happy Birthday Richard! We loved celebrating your life! You are such a special son and brother and you bring so much joy to us! You were getting ready for your trip to Colorado to go river rafting and to enjoy the mountains with Bailey's mom and sister. We are so grateful for the good person that Bailey is and we love her too!

MATCHING GRANDMAS!

This is a unique picture! How many people in the world have 2 grandmas who live near to them - who are both healthy - who like each other - who are classy - who are hard workers - who wear arm braces at the same time??? Yep, Grandma Bluth is recovering from a broken shoulder from the "dangers of exercising" and Grandma Gurney is recovering from a pacemaker implant. We are blessed to have them at our family events!

Magnify the Priesthood, Arise, Awake!

"We have been reserved in the spirit world for thousands of years, to stand in the flesh in the latter days, and to take God's kingdom and build it up.

Understanding these things then, what are we, as Latter-day Saints, thinking about? We have got a great warfare to fight. Lucifer, the son of the morning, and all his hosts, are united against us. We are but a little handful, compared with the inhabitants of the earth. There never were but few men and women, in any age of the world, who were independent enough to reject evil and to serve the Lord. But we have been counted worthy to be numbered as His people.

It is time, therefore, that we arose, that we awoke, and that, clothed upon with the power of God and the Holy Priesthood, we should magnify this Priesthood and obtain the blessings belonging thereto."
President Wilford Woodruff

Make a Smilebox greeting

RICHARD'S FARM

I LOVED my day with Richard at his farm (the Elliot house). He works so hard to make things nice, trimming the big front trees, getting the grass nice, making a stone sidewalk - and now he's a gardener too! He works so hard at his HVAC job and was still working last night when dad called him. Also, Bailey's mom hired him to cut her huge trees and he did it at 1/2 the cost of the tree companies! Richard, you are an incredible worker!

I got to take Roxie and Maddaux with me and it was like a field trip for them - playing with the baby chicks that Bailey brought to Richard as a gift. Maddaux was traumatized with the cats at first, but soon came out from the corner. Maybe the 3-legged cat was a little too much - but Tripod is a definate favorite!

I remembered something I once heard - "Who you become is an average of the top 5 people and activities you spend you life with". Richard is love - Richard is work - Richard is kind. His life is filled with goodness. We love you Richard!