Party in Kansas

Spring break and off to Kansas we went to see all the cute kiddies and their parents. Little Jack's personality endeared him to us right away.

Grace and Raegan loved to play UNO. They especially loved to play the "wild cards" and the "draw two's" on Grandma.

Uncle Matt got to meet Jack for the first time. Everyone was so excited to welcome Matt home from his mission. His little nieces even made him a sign and greeted him at the airport.

Grace and Raegan have a pretty cool "Barbie" house and play room. What a fun place for Grandma to stay.

Here's sweet Madison, who was so excited to see us and gave us lots of hugs and kisses.

Riley shared her toys with her cousins and the other girls had fun playing games with Matt.

Anyone up for a game of "Butt Head?" The girls had a great time throwing balls at Paul.

Then we discovered how fun it is to play "Ticket to Ride." Natalie taught us how to win when her little red trains took over the board.

Riley, Grace, Brinley, and the best dog in the world.

"Happy Birthday Bryan!" We all went to lunch at a delicious Kansas BBQ.

Bryan and Jamie are such loyal fans of their sports teams. BYU, K State, and KU were fun to follow in the basketball tournament. BYU was playing during our lunch party.

Emilee, Brinley and Alix had a memorable spring break week.

Then off we went to Independence and Liberty Jail for a church history experience.

Alix helped me knead the dough for some delicious cinnamon rolls...always a tradition when visiting Kansas.

We had some fun in the sun while it lasted...

Jack loved Gill.

Then all too soon, it snowed! There was after all, one more day of winter.

Brinley, Matt and I boarded a plane and made it home once again. Amber and Heather picked us up around midnight and the party continued. After a few stops, including pancakes and hot chocolate, we made it home around 4 a.m.

Good times! Great memories!

Happy New Year!

It's a new year and new beginnings. I just want to say "Happy New Year" to all my family and friends. We're having some exciting times with Heather and Jason moving in, Matt coming home from his mission, and all the fun that the holidays brought. I'm looking forward to starting a new semester of college and spending more time with the people in my life. I might even get some pictures to post sometime.

Welcome to 2010

There are some people who thought I needed a little updating. What's wrong with the 70's I ask? They took me to a good friend's salon for a little ambush make-over. They bought me some sassy clothes and then told me I needed the hair to match.

They had lots of fun doing my make-up and coloring my hair. After much consulting, they had my hair cut and styled. It's a new me!

Thanks Desi, Jacque, and Camie for taking such good care of me. We had the best weekend ever. You're the greatest!

All Eighteen Together

Eighteen grandchildren together was quite an accomplishment. We spent time together off and on for a couple of weeks doing exciting things like riding wave runners at Big Bear Lake, going to the beach, the zoo, Sea World, and just having fun in the back yard with BBQ's and swimming. I didn't take too many pictures, but hopefully we'll see some of every one's favorite shots.

Surf's Up

What an exciting couple of days I spent at Newport Beach. The waves were over 25 feet high and the crowds gathered at the wedge to witness their enormity. I was fascinated by the enormity of the crowd. Lifeguards were certainly kept busy rescuing the foolish swimmers.

Families are Forever

What a wonderful time we had visiting Nauvoo, Independence and Liberty Jail. Our heritage and our beliefs are what we are always able cling to in this life. Our family is what is important now and in the life to come. The cute girls are exploring some of the little stores in Nauvoo. We tasted a little gingerbread cookie inside the old bakery.
The horses pulled our wagon as we traveled back in history along the banks of the Mississippi.

What a breathtaking view of the Nauvoo Temple. We spent some time inside reflecting on the meaning of life. It was a wonderful opportunity...especially for Emilee to go inside with her parents and do some wonderful service for her ancestors.

Paul, Natalie and Emilee in front of the Nauvoo Temple

Some Fun in the Sun!

A day in Waikiki playing at a park. Jaxon is a cute cuddly little Hawaiian teddy bear. What's Hawaii without shave ice? So delicious!

Shark's cove was a great spot for a picnic and snorkeling. Heather has some great video of the turtles we found to swim with. Maybe she'll post some pictures soon.

Ashlyn actually let me curl and style her hair for church. Getting her to pose for a picture is another story.

We had a nice day at a hotel with dolphin training. Here we stopped for lunch by the beach.

Ashlyn adores her father. She is definitely a "daddy's girl".
Heather and I posed for a picture near the waterfall.
We got up close and personal with some dolphins. There were about five being trained here.