BODIE GURNEY BORN APRIL 17, 2012

 Ashley is a beautiful pregnant mom!  Rick has always said that clean, pregnant women are the most beautiful women in the world!  (He always knew how to make me feel better during that time and season - when women get discouraged and feel not-so-beautiful).  Riley and Ashley have been going through a move, remodeling (extensively) the new home they purchased on horse property in Queen Creek - - and Ashley is brave enough to do all this while adding another baby into their family. 

Ashley is proof that Rick is right!

Bodie was born on a Tuesday, when Riley had been working all day, and Ashley started to think that something might be really going on (delivery) and so she had a bath, did her hair, and it was the real thing!  Rick and I headed to the hospital in time for her delivery, so we got to welcome Bodie just moments after he arrived.  He is so beautiful - so Riley, and so heavenly!  He has a gentle, peaceful, patient spirit (like his dad) and I am so excited for them!  Every grandchild that comes into our family will be loved like he or she is the only grandchild that we ever received - unique and special!

SUMMER 2011 - Extreme Temperatures and Extreme Love!

So much has happened in our family since January! There have been absolute highs and absolute lows - but love will prevail and eternal relationships will go on! We have been so blessed to have Rory, Alex and Aurora move in with us - and to see Rory as an absolutely amazing father. His teaching methods, his love, his humor and his diligence are beyond what most fathers experience in their "fatherhood" years. He is also a great cook, a great cleaner and organizer, and now he has added school to his routine. Most parents don't get to see thier children in the full role of parenting, but we have been blessed over the years to have several of our kids and grandkids live with us for a season - to see them as adults - and to know of their goodness. One of the coolest things is to see these kids love and care for one another. Last Sunday we celebrated Grandma Gurney coming home from Utah and some of the family stayed until late. Ryan told funny stories of when we lived in Utah and the kids were little, and he kept us laughing! His kids were delighted, and I was happy to see family traditions and stories being passed down the generations. It reminded me of my favorite times growing up, when my parents, aunts and uncles would entertain us with their stories - especially about their lives in the mountains, the Indians, horses, etc.

My favorite days are always those where the family gets together - whether it is for Sunday dinners, to swim, to barbeque, or just when I get to tend the grandkids. A favorite day was when Rory took his brothers, sisters-in-law, and dad to a movie to thank them for all the work they gave in helping him move. I could tell that they were nervous to leave me with all the grandkids (since we were all in the pool), but the big kids (Devanie and Zander) helped with the little kids and I counted heads every few minutes.... 7 happy kids! When we got out we got on pijamas, ate, made popcorn and got out lots of pillows and blankets and watched The Frog Princess movie. All was calm and quiet until the dancing music came on - and then Aurora and Brailyn couldn't stay down! They jumped up, started dancing, and then everyone got excited - - and then parents came home!

It is so fun to cook with grandkids around! Lately they have helped prepare a lot of the meals. For our last Sunday dinner Roxie made the gravy, Devanie made the potatoes, Cam and Ryan tended the rolls, Ryan carved the turkey, Rick set the table - and I can't remember everything each person did, but dinner was wonderful! Afterwards it's a race to the sink for the little kids - because they all love to wash the dishes! I got a letter from Gilbert Town saying our water use was xtra high...so between my "forgotten" waterings of plants and our really clean dishes by Brailyn and Aurora it's totally possible! When everyone is gone I leave the toy room "as is" for a day or so, then re-organize it so that they next time they come they will be excited to be here. I remember our kids when they were little and when they didn't want to go to grandmas house because there was nothing to do and nothing to eat. I committed that our grandkids would never get a chance to feel that way!

A highlight of the summer was going to Utah - the first time with Rick, and the 2nd time I drove on my own. Rick was nervous for me to drive alone - but he tracked me on his phone and we talked at every stop (and sometimes in between). I totally loved my week with Jonique, Jacob and Xelly! It was beautiful weather, and a privilege to help Jonique while she got her wisdom teeth pulled. Xelly loved playing outside, filling her little rectangular pan with water, sitting in it, putting her babies in it ... and I thought ... "how awesome kids are to be happy with the simpliest of things". I didn't like leaving - but knew that we would be together in the end of August at Lake Powell. I'm grateful that Jacob works hard to take care of his cute little family - even if his job took them away! It is nice to have an excuse to go to Utah - and a wonderful place to stay!

Rory's birthday was fun - with everyone there to celebrate. The grandkids made heart messages and put them on large skewers and filled the lawns, planters and inside plants with them for a great heart attack! Rory chose to have homemade chicken noodle soup (old family recipe) and cheesecake(s). Some things just don't change! At least it wasn't "Bruno" soup!

These terrific grandkids have turned into fish! They took swimming lessons this year and all of them are very water savvy and they do some great dives, back-dives, pencils, and other tricks for me. Even Maddaux can do things that I wouldn't think a 4 year old would dare to do - and he's pretty tough. One of my favorite things since their school started (year round school) is that I get to teach them piano lessons at 6 am each week. What a great experience for a grandma! I'm so proud of each of them and the progress that they are making. Their music is beautiful and I see them moving forward each week! Yeah!

Another fun experience was camping up Sedona canyon (near Flagstaff) with Riley, Ashley and Brailyn. There were not any forests open for camping other than this one due to the fires and dryness. We hoped the other kids would be able to come, but Richard had to work (or should I say "got" to work), Ryan too, so it was just the 5 of us! We played lots of card games - and Ashley's favorite was SkipBo. The day that we left it began to rain, but as we arrived into the Phoenix valley the weather was 114 degrees! Yep, we came home too soon!

Jonique, Jacob and Xelly posed for me at Chris Dayley's reception. It was fun being with them and seeing Richard there too with his friends. We enjoyed having Richard fly home with us - since we don't get to see him as much after we changed our day and time of service at the temple. Rick and I love serving at the temple! It is truly a blessing to us - and we see miracles that bless our kids and grandkids - recognizing that the Lord is near, and he loves each one of us!

 These kids are getting so brave, and it's fun to see their confidence grow as their abilities grow.  Lake Powell this year will be extra fun with all these little "water bugs"!

  This little guy makes me laugh!  I am waiting for a day to be with just him - and I know that the time quickly goes by, so I need to take every chance to be with him before he is a big kid and it's not "cool" to be with grandma!

Being a grandma is the best! Rory was telling me that he thinks that pregnancy is a great thing, because it is the beginning of the absolute best part of life! Yep, I agree! The blessings of children and grandchildren are some of the greatest blessings on earth! Every kid needs a safe place to go when life is tough - and grandma's house is a safe place - always!

SPRING MEMORIES 2011

Grandkids are amazing!  Zander did an beautiful job trimming, mowing the lawn, and spraying weeds.  He brought his own weed-eater and lawnmower to help me with the "jungle"  at our Elliot house.  I was so grateful and it looked gorgeous after all his hard work!  Maddaux was surely wanting to be big on that day!  The next week Riley was there and surprised me by mowing the lawn again!  It's been a cooler, wetter March and I've loved the weather - but not as much as these grandkids!

Sundays are a favorite - not just because they are the "day of rest" but because our family gets together and has fun!  Ashley is almost as wierd as me (proof here)!  There have been lots of birthdays from Ryan's family in the past month(s) and I will post those pictures as soon as I find them. 

Our great grandmas (Grandma LaRee Bluth and /Grandma Ireta Gurney) came to eat at Riley and Ashley's home and it was such a treat to be with them.  It's not that common that kids get to know all of their grandparents plus their great-grandparents.  I only knew 1 of my grandmas and 1 grandpa - so you kids are really blessed!  We had a great time there - their home and yard are a perfect place for a big crowd!  Thanks for sharing!

So fun to hold the 2 youngest grandkids!  Jonique and Jacob moved to West Jordan shortly after this picture, so having Xelly and Brailyn together will not be a common thing anymore!  Every day counts!  I need to remember that more - as it seems that life and responsibilities keep me running far too fast and I don't want to have regrets.

Maddaux was awesome in playing with the 2 little girls while we had a lunch at Aunt Ashley's house.  The pool was a hit!  Maddaux found out that he is a great babysitter - and he begged to stay when it was time to leave.  His 4th  birthday was soon after this picture.  Cambria went with Devanie on a field trip so we loved having Maddaux with us!

This was a really awesome day!  I loved every minute with my grandkids!  We had a fun sleepover and they set up shop!  They saw that I had bags of lemons to juice and freeze, so they set up shop!  It was an amazing assembly line, with Maddaux washing the lemons, Devanie rolling them to soften them up, Roxie cutting them and Zander juicing them.  I filled the juice into bags and put it into the freezer.  I had thought that I would just have to throw the lemons away, but these kids SAVED THE DAY!  After that, we went into the garden area and cut up thousands of branches that had been pruned from the lemon tree, rose bushes, and other trees.  These kids used the clippers, pruners, etc and we cut up every bit of wood!  Afterwards we went swimming, played Wii, watched a movie and made popcorn.  I need to have them over more often - because they know how to get things done!

We love the weekends that Rory, Alex and Aurora stay over!  It fills our home with music, laughter, and the noise of little people!  I need to get the Easter pictures off my camera, but am doing this post from Utah!   Good night for now!

A MARVELOUS FAMILY WEEKEND!

This was a weekend filled with love!  We enjoyed Rory and his kids so much - and they were so delighted to be with their dad!  Even though it rained outside - it didn't rain in their hearts!  Every minute was filled with

 fun and laughter!  The rain was so welcomed - watering the desert for beautiful spring flowers - and I thought of that for Rory too - water for drought, and forthcoming blossoms of spring!    Of course, the kids wanted to jump on the trampoline, but this time they didn't want grandma - they wanted Dad!  Aurora has gotten her confidence on the trampoline now - where before she was very timid and nervous of the off-beat of other people jumping.

Alex's favorite games on the trampoline are Star Wars lazer wars - and he got his dad off the trampoline.  His pants can hardly stay up because he walks around with both light sabers hung on his pockets - the green one, and the blue one!  When Rory read him the Star Wars kids' storybook, Alex could give details, characters, and specifics as each page was turned.

And then the rain came again!  This time they found umbrellas, and had to go outside to experience the downpour!  How fun!  "Raindrops keep falling on my head..." Rory sang go them midst giggles and delight!

When Grandpa came he was surprised to see Alex batting home runs (from in front of the tv to the back of the dining room).  It was pretty amazing to see his natural ability to connect with the ball, from whatever angle!  His dad taught him how to stand sideways with the bat in position - and he did terrifically at hitting the ball midst our clapping and cheers.  Amazingly, nothing was broken!  Yeah for these cool 99 cent soft balls!

When the family came, there were now 4 little girls!  Our Utah Gurney family came for Joel Phelp's little girl's (Makena) blessing - which was given by Rick.  She is a sweet little 3 year old, and she kept saying that the girls were "so cute".  Xelly is 8 months old, and walking all over the place!

When Brailyn arrived she was quiet, but hillariously fun!  Makena and Brailyn really hit it off!  They went from the playroom to the bedroom, and I loved every minute of seeing these little cousins play together! 

All of Lena Gean's kids and grandkids were her, plus Kent and Carolyn, Grandma Gurney, Jim, Wendy's parents (from Yuma) and our kids and grandkids.  It was a special day filled with food, fun and love!

Richard, Lindsay, Trevor, Jonique and Jacob hung out at Jake and Jones' home on Saturday, then at Richard's on Sunday and at the hottub on Monday.  Cam taught all the girls to make bread on Monday, and Ryan and Rusty hung out together.  Ryan smoked chicken for Family Home Evening and they had all of us over to their home.  Thanks to all of you for your efforts to be together!  I love you all so much!

I FOUND THESE 2 PICTURES FROM CHRISTMAS ON DAD'S COMPUTER

I was looking for the Christmas pictures from 2010 and am so sad to not have found the ones I took at our family party!  I loved being with each of you that afternoon and night - and truly loved Christmas this year!  It was great to celebrate a week before Christmas eve, because we got that special time together, then all the next week I had time to serve others, to really feel the Christmas spirit, and then I loved CHRISTmas eve at the temple grounds - enjoying Jordan's concert and being with those of you who were able to come!  Oh - and Mi Amigos food before that  would have been perfect, but somehow I think they wanted to get home - and it wasn't its usually great taste!  Sorry for this lousy picture that cut off Richard's head and the top of Jacob's.  It was dark and I couldn't see what I was doing.

I had taken a picture of Ryan's family, but it didn't turn out at all.  Jacob and Jonique wanted a picture of the spot where Jacob asked her to marry him 2 years ago - but this time with their little family.  I'm glad this one turned out.  I'll post more when I find the pictures.  I guess the most important message is that my greatest blessing and gift is our eternal family!  It is made possible through the life, obedience, creations, and love our our Savior Jesus Christ!  WE LOVED CHRISTMAS DAY - TRAVELLING TO EACH OF YOUR HOMES AND SHARING THE LOVE THAT WE FELT THERE!  WE picked Great Grandma Gurney up at 7 am and went to Ryan and Cam's.  Dev, Zander, Roxie and Maddaux were just starting to open their gifts, and they were thrilled beyond belief!  It was fun to share to joy of Santa's anonymous giving.  Next we went to Richard's and enjoyed being with him.  He was alone at his home, and it was different than any other year - but we brought him what Santa had left at our home - and we enjoyed our visit!  Joni and Jacob's home was next, and Xelly had her first Christmas.  Jacob's sister and family came by while we were there and it was fun to see Xelly's "twin" cousin.  Next we went to Riley and Ashley's home and were fed a wonderful Christmas lunch!  Brailyn seemed to understand that it was a special day and she entertained us well!  Finally, we drove to Tucson to spend the rest of the day with Rory, Heather, Alex and Aurora.  They greeted us at the door and the kids were thrilled to see us and to show us their presents!  We played, danced, ate a wonderful Christmas dinner that Heather had really gone out of her way to prepare - and enjoyed the end of a perfect day with them.  When I find my pictures I will post them and enjoy the memories all over again.  Sending love and gratitude to each of you!  Thanks for the gifts you so graciously showered us with.  We love you so much!

Family Memories for November 2010

November has been such a great and beautiful month, with lots of memories and activities with family!  We enjoyed watching Devanie's tennis practices and being with Ryan and Cam's family in the sunshine and fall weather.  Devanie will take a time out from tennis for a bit - as her shoulder heals from an injury.  Tennis is a great sport that anyone can play for a lifetime, and it will be fun to see Devanie play through coming years!

Zander had his first year playing soccer on a team, and it was fun to go to some of his games and to see him improve each time.  He is an excellent goalie, and he was 100% on saves for his team when we watched him.  He also likes to run and kick, so is happy when he isn't in goalie position.  I especially liked his attitude on being a good sport.  It is great that his dad practices with him at home so he'll keep learning!

Each time we stopped at Richard's home we saw more additions to his upcoming Halloween party.  His house was decorated with spiderwebs and spiders, he got a lazer light show installed up on the ledges in his family room and also installed a smoke machine.  Richard was a "stick man" with his costume painted with lines that show up under a black light - so it was pretty cool.  Dad and I went to see his friends and their costumes and took some treats.  It was fun to see his friends and to be with he and Bailey!Zander got SO many awards at his Scout award night, and I could tell that he and his parents had been working really hard!  It was fun to see him on his knees eating whipping cream out of a pie tin to find his award - and he did it really well!  He is off to a good start toward becoming an Eagle Scout and is lucky that his dad has been a scout leader in past years because it has helped him to get into scouting fast!

It was an especially fun treat to have Rory, Heather, Alex and Aurora move to Oro Valley so that we could share Alex and Aurora's birthdays together!  Ryan's family, Riley's family, dad and I drove down and enjoyed a fun afternoon of pinatas, pizza, playing and presents! 

Each of the kids had their own pinata - - Alex had a Robot and Aurora had a shiny red and silver star pinata.  The kids had lots of turns hitting them and there was candy galore!  It was fun to see their nice home and how well it fits them!  The kids enjoyed playing together and it will be good to be acquainted better now!

Dad and I drove to San Diego to be with our Bluth family at Brittany and Greg's wedding (Barry and Jami's daughter).  It was a beautiful experience to be with family in the temple and to see this couple be sealed for eternity - and to know of Barry's joy for his daughter.  Dad and I enjoyed the day with Antoine and Shannon and Lothaire and Connie, going to the Mormon Battalion visitors center and to a movie.  Then dad and I drove to Coronado Island and looked around, then took a back-roads way home.  It was a great weekend together!

Dad and I have had a very special month with many miracles and blessings which we know will have impact on our individual lives and on us as an eternal family.  We were asked by our Stake Presidency to speak at the Adult Session of Regional Conference.  All of our children were good enough to make the effort to be with us.  It was a very sacred time in our lives to prepare for the talk - which was on Marriage Relationships (Ours) and we knew that we were guided by Heavenly Father in the things that we shared.  We have had many letters, phone calls and visits from people who said that they were greatly impacted by our extremely real and frank talk.  Rick was called and set apart at the Regional Conference as a High Counselor in the Greenfield Stake.  It was a beautiful sight to sit at the end of a long row of our family, and to see everyone SO REVERENTLY sitting there while he received his setting apart blessing from the Stake Presidency - David LeSueur, David Carmichael and Mike Rogers.  It was wonderful having Grandma Bluth and Gandpa Dale, Grandma Gurney and Bailey with us too!  I was set apart as the Family Services Representative for the Stake at that same time, then we all came home for a dinner together!  I'm so grateful for Rick in my life (and for eternity) and so happy that we have chosed to be committed to marriage and family!  It has been worth every moment - and we have learned that the most difficult times have become the most sacred seasons of growth and purification.

Ashley and Jonique's birthdays are right by each other.  I got to see Ashley 2 days in a row - and enjoyed being with her so much!  We went shopping and to lunch, and Riley was good enough to tend Brailyn so that Ashley could have some time of her own. 

Ryan and Cambria invited us to their Dance Performance (which was a Cancer fundraiser).  It was a lot of fun and they did a really hard dance and we loved the night!  Their kids were all dressed up to the nines also, and their Alvey grandparents came too.  I took lots of cute pictures of them and the kids dancing (mostly video) - and am so impressed that they take the time to date and to do activities that build their relationship (as well as have fun)!  Thanks for a great night out! We loved it and think it would be great to have a family dance where they teach us how!

Jonique's 22 birthday was a fun day - with an un-planned lunch at Waldo's for barbeque - with Riley, Ashley, Brailyn, Ryan, Cam, Maddaux, Rick, Jonique, Xelly and me.  Afterwards Jonique and I went shopping - until I remembered I had to be at the temple - but I made it in time to do my responsibilities there. 

The Bluth Family Thanksgiving at the park was fun and memorable for all - with our family doing all the set-up and take-down for the event.  Everyone brought food and we had a feast (with an over-load everything)!  We played games together - and I liked Kick baseball best.  I forgot to bring the poles fo Human Fooseball - so was disappointed in myself when I saw them when we got home.  Thanks to everyone who helped so well!

LAKE POWELL 2010 - GRANDPA'S CAMERA CONTRIBUTIONS

Uncle Richard and the bambinos on "faith" rock - who can walk on water?  Grandpa took this picture at quite a distance, and it turned out pretty cool! 

Here's the big boss - holding the little boss - and awesome that there are so many helpers to set up camp and tie the houseboat down!  Grandpa is so happy to finally have Brailyn be a grandpa's girl!  Yeah!

Is this the picture of the year?  Are those flying bats in the background, or is this freefall skydiving?  Jonique caught Richard and Taylor cliff jumping (cool still-shot), with Riley and Ashley in the forefront (more to be said about the canoe-rocking experience). 

Dev and Grandma found clay when we took the little kids hiking in the early morning.  This clay had a lot of sand in it, so we washed it to clean it up a bit, and then made a pot and a dish.  It's so fun to be with Devanie and to talk and laugh with her!  She is an amazing oldest grandchild - and a great example for all of them, responsible, obedient, kind, a great reader, cook, dancer, and smart!  Oh, a side note - on the hike Zander and Roxie went way out in front while we helped Maddaux in a little canyon, and Roxie came back white-faced and needed to be held while she shivered - because she saw a snake - and he was looking straight at her with his little tongue sticking out.  I'm so grateful that she saw him and re-routed in a sprint!

Looks like effortless-horseshoes - and like Rich's muscles from his HVAC work can pitch without stretching.  We missed having Bailey there, but are happy that she is working hard in school, and that she will graduate in May!  Yeah!

So, this is the canoe ride that almost wasn't upright!  Riley made it so exciting by rocking back and forth to make Brailyn laugh (and Ashley not) that he made a miraculous save when they were just about all 3 tossed overboard.  Yes, Jeeping in rocky canyons is easier to keep upright than canoeing - or at least it seems that way!

Riley is coaching Brailyn about how to use the jetski.  He had already successfully coached Devanie and Zander on wakeboarding - and Ryan came in after a long session and said "Riley is surely a good teacher of kids, and so patient!".  I agreed, and also agree that he and Ashley should have about 10! 

And since Jacob arrived to the lake late, Jonique had to paddle all the way back to Wahweap and bring him home!  We'll just call her Pocahontas - and imagine that she could row so far!  And since I'm starting to make things up - it's time to end this blog!  What a great trip - and what a great family!  Sending love to all from Mom and Grandma!