LAKE POWELL FAMILY MEMORIES!

Richard agrees - - life just doesn't get much better than this!

This is the life! Grandma is ready for another book - - and another nap!

Richard and Bailey - - beward Dad and Mom are on their way to SWAMP you!

Jonique and Shane showing their pearly whites!

LAKE POWELL FAMILY MEMORIES!

We loved being in the narrow end of West Canyon, with a 200 foot cliff to shade us, horseshoe pits, amazing sand, 2 fireplaces and more fun that we could ever dream of. Antoinette and her kids, Grandma Bluth, and most of our family were there! We missed those of you who couldn't make it this year! The games went on and on - - the hikes were amazing. Yes, it's heaven on earth!

Thanks Aunt Lena Gean for this cover-up! It sure worked - - and it surely covered-up!

Richard and Shane pulled this log out into the lake and had a log-rolling-balancing contest.

Bailey was the first brave one to swim into this 2-room cave. Grandma Bluth and Ashley headed into it also. The way the narrow walls swirl upward far back into the earth gets a little spooky, especially when you look down and it goes on forever!

Riley, Ashley and Chloe on the tube - - one happy family! Riley is concerned that we don't show his "daughter" the same privileges that we show our other grandchildren! It was fun to swamp them with the jet ski! Too much of a peaceful look, don't you agree?

JONIQUE AND DAD - There is something about being at Lake Powell together that makes me smile - - and the smiles ripple on and on! This is one of my favorite memories every year and I'm not the only one - - because on the drive home Jonique was counting the days until next year's family trip!

AUGUST CELEBRATES RORY AND HEATHER'S BIRTHDAYS!

Best Friends - Eternal Companions - Eternal Family - Happy Birthday to both of you! We love you! That December 13th (Friday) day in the San Diego temple was one of the most beautiful eternal weddings that I have ever attended. It was the beginning of something beautiful and powerful - - and we knew that the children who would come to you would be chosen and special!

These 2 lovebirds celebrate their birthdays this month - - Rory first, then Heather next. This was our last Easter Egg Hunt before they moved to Austin, where Heather found the $100 egg! Now they have much better than that egg, they have Alex (our curly haired almost 2-year old giggler) - - and Aurora on the way (Oct/Nov border)! Aurora will probably be called Rory - - since her dad is now known as Rorick. He laughs when he tells us the scenario at work each time people hear his name and then he goes through a dialogue that his co-workers have memorized as he explains how he got his name. Yes, I chose his name when I was a little girl and I saw a movie with a viking hero that was amazingly brave and handsome. Rorick says that his names serves him well at Charles Schwab since he is the only person in the entire company with that name - - thus always recognized!

Rory (son), we're so proud of the way you are working to provide for your family, the efforts you make to continue your education as you learn leadership skills that will serve those you work with well, the integrity of your heart and of your actions, the way you love your family and the joy you have always brought to us. We're so thankful that Heavenly Father blessed us with you! We miss your jokes (not the yucky ones), your beautiful piano music and we will miss you at Lake Powell! But, in a couple of years when these babies are bigger, then we will all have a family reunion together to build memories for them! Have you stopped wearing those Apache Junction styles and those Hawaiian shirts? We've always thought it's cool how you don't get caught up in brand name labels and the ego stuff!!! You don't hide behind anything - - and are who you are! We love you just for you!

Heather, we could not have chosen a better daughter than you if we had gone worldwide and hand selected! We don't look at you as a daughter in law, but as a daughter - - for you are connected to us eternally through the amazing sealing powers of the temple! You are a wonderful mother and an incredible wife! Rory was certainly blessed when you became more than his best friend - -and became his wife! Always know that you are an angel in our family and we love you so much! On top of it all - - you're gorgeous - - and you're smart - - and we love your calls - - and .. on and on!

MADDAUX'S ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY! FINALLY!

This little guy was so excited when Cam brought him around the corner and he saw a room filled with balloons - - that the gifts and people didn't matter a bit! Maddaux played with balloons non-stop, until by the end of the party the bigger kids had taken them all to the back yard to pop them.

Cam helps him unwrap his gifts so that he can get back to the balloons - - and oh yeah, the huge cupcakes! His car/bike was definately a favorite!

Jones, Bailey and Grandma are on the sidelines watching,

OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY - IT WAS THE BEST!

35 years ago I could not have dreamed that I would love Rick this much! It's so great to be able to truly enjoy just being together without needs or expectations - - cherishing every experience (whether good or bad) as they have made us who we are today! When we woke up, we went swimming in the amazing Arizona sunshine, talked about how much we love each other, how much we love and adore our kids and grandkids, and decided that this year as our gift, each day we will do at least one thing that will make a difference in the life of one family member.

Then Jonique and Riley came and we all went to the Farmhouse for breakfast (at 11 am). It was amazing, although Jonique only ate 1 pancake. At the Farmhouse that is a sin! Riley helped us with our computers (watch out Rory, he's getting pretty good). Riley and Ashley started their blog, so we checked it out, then saw Rory's. Congratulations Rory on passing your Charles Schwab Management test - - and Heather, on the test confirming it's a baby girl! Yeah!

OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY - IT WAS THE BEST!

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!

OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY - IT WAS THE BEST!

It was an amazing day! Rick and I talked about how amazing the years have been and how blessed we are - - and how in love we are today! 35 years ago Grandma Flanders was here and so were both of our dads. In their place we now have all these beautiful children, daughters-in-law and grandchildren! We have so much time together and we cherish all of it! Rick is my best friends, and definately my biggest cheerleader! I could not have possibly found someone that would support me, adore me, encourage me, cheer for me and love me the way he does. Our differences (they are many) have helped each of us learn so much and have tempered us! His strengths blend into me, and my strengths blend into him. RYAN HAD TRUCK PROBLEMS AS HE BROUGHT HIS YOUNG MEN GROUP HOME FROM CAMP. WE TOWED HIM HOME, HELPED PULL WEEDS WHILE WE WAITED FOR THE GRANDKIDS TO GET HOME, AND WHEN THEY ARRIVED, DEVANIE HAD A SPECIAL BOX WITH BABY BIRDS IN IT THAT HAD FALLEN OUT OF A TREE.