HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLIE!!!!!!

Happy 12th Birthday Miss Elizabeth!!!!! I can't believe that you are already 12.......I remember when we were waiting in the hospital for you to arrive, and it seems only like yesterday!! Kylie is one amazing 12 year old....she has accomplished much in her life already. I can't wait to see what the coming years hold! Whatever she puts her mind to she excels at---what a great quality! She is an avid soccer player. She has a great foot and can kick the ball far! She also is a great defender and plays some great offense. She has recently started playing goalie on occasion and she is going great! I love going to her games and watching her play! And love when she invites me! She is going to rock if she continues playing.

She is also a black belt in karate!!! Recently she passed her test and is an official black belt. This has been awesome to see her excel at! She has done very well and works hard and is disciplined at doing what she needs to in order to move forward. She also loves to read and can frequently be found with her nose in a book! She does very well in school and works hard to learn new things.

Kylie spent the first couple years of her life being tended at our house while her parents worked. This was a great bonding time for all of us and she became more like a sister than a niece! This is also true today since the other granddaughters are much younger then her. She always wants to be included in the things that the sisters do. And we love to have her around! She is a great help to her parents with her younger brothers. She tends often and helps to take care of them. I can't tend them anymore without her help since she is such a great help--she knows how to entertain them and to help get the necessary things done.

Kylie has a strong testimony of the gospel. She is always working hard to do what is right. She is concerned about others around her and wants everyone to be happy. Even though she totally loves "guy" things, she has a tender girl side as well. She is very nurturing and loving. She loves all her younger brothers and cousins and takes great care of them! It has been so neat to watch her grow and mature over the last few years. She has a deep knowledge of what is important and tries to do her best in all that she does!

I am super proud of the beautiful young woman that Kylie is becoming. She holds a very special place in my heart! I find joy in her accomplishments and am proud of the things that she puts her time and effort into. She is a great example to her brothers and those around her---even me, I have learned a lot from her. She cares for people a great deal! Even though she will probably be taller than me one day I love her to pieces! :)

Have a HAPPY DAY!!!! Love you tons!!!!

Happy Birthday Grandpa John......

Today is my Grandpa John's Birthday....Happy Day!!! I have been thinking about him all week and it has been nice to reminisce about his life and the time we shared together. He was a great man!!! It seems like only yesterday that we were spending the summer working in his yard together. He taught me how to garden and to love it. We had many a good discussion while playing in the dirt. When he got too sick to work along side us he made sure that he was out there still as much as he could. He loved his roses and made sure that they were well taken care of. Every time I see a rosebush I think of him. He also paid very well for the work that we did---which helped a great deal!!. I haven't had a better paying job in my entire life!!! Not only did I make a little money but I learned some valuable lessons about life, marriage, and the importance of family. He often brought grandma one rose in from the garden, showing of his love for her.

Grandpa's professional career was one of many honors. He received his law degree and went on to become a judge. His history is full of stories and honors that he has received. The best indication though of the kind of working man that he was is the chance that I have had to rub shoulders with some that he worked with. I am acquainted with a couple of people who worked with him during his judge years and they have only nice things to say about him. He was always kind to those in front of his bench etc. It makes me proud to know that he was such a great person even in his career since I already know what kind of grandpa he was.

A few things were always present when Grandpa was around. He always had the "chicken". He would put the "chicken" in his hands and entertain/tease the grand kids till the end of time! He also sang a song, My Brother Bill (not one that grandma liked) when requested. "My brother Bill is a fireman bold. He puts out fires. He went to a fire last night I'm told, cause he puts out fires. The fire lit some dynamite and blew poor Bill clear out of sight. But where he's gone he'll do alright, 'cause he puts out fire." While grandma didn't like this song very much she could always be seen at the piano creating a beautiful number to accompany grandpa. Grandpa made a great bowl of homemade ice cream. He could be found making it for family parties or gatherings. I always requested that be what he and grandma brought when they came for my birthday in Snowbird. And he always came through and never disappointed.

You could always count on them to be where ever the event or function you were involved in was held. They came to numerous dance, music, and sports events. Always cheering and clapping loudly. Grandpa always had a joke to tell and made everyone around him laugh. Many times he didn't have to say anything he would just smile and bring joy into your life! We slept over often and while grandma took care of the details grandpa was always ready for some fun. One time in particular when we slept over we went to the mall with grandpa. I got a little stubborn on the way down the escalator and wouldn't let grandpa help me. As a result we both ended up on our bottoms at the bottom of the escalator. We ended up laughing a great deal and calming my older sister down, but boy was it fun! I don't think he took us alone very often after that!

Grandpa took up oil painting in his later years. He started to paint portraits of all of the grand kids. He didn't quite make it to me and I truly wish that he had done one because they are gorgeous but I was fortunate enough to get another painting when grandma moved from her house. It means a great deal to me because it was painted for grandma. It is a violin and a red rose. She played the violin very well and as I mentioned earlier grandpa always brought her one rose. This painting is full of love and I count my blessings that grandpa developed such a great talent in his later years.

Grandpa fought a long battle with cancer. Not once did I hear him complain about the disease. I know that he experienced much pain especially in the end but he was always joking, smiling, and making the best of life. What a great example to me!!! He truly cared for others and lived a life filled with Charity-the pure love of Christ. I cherish his history that he wrote. I love to read it and be reminded of what really matters and how we should live our lives. I am thankful that he was able to be my grandpa and teach me many life lessons, many of which I am just realizing he taught me. Happy Birthday!!!

His smile was a frequent occurrence!!!