Kirtlyn's Mexican birthday party in the states, and some fond good-byes!!

Thomas put out a full taco stand including three kinds of meat, two kinds of tortillas, grandpa's beans, and more... it was wonderful. And of course the limes to squeeze on top! Everyone really enjoyed the authentic Mexican Taco's!!
I asked Kirtlyn what she wanted for a birthday cake, thinking she would tell me strawberry or chocolate... I was wrong. She described a strawberry, grape, lemon, "Wedding Cake" that Rylie was so sweet to actually create! Now you can see Rylie's true talent, because this is the exact cake that Kirtlyn wanted!

It looked so good Hyrum took a nice taste of the frosting! That cake was a real winner, it was completely gone by the end of the night! Great job Rylie!!
The gifts were great, thanks to Everyone!
The birthday girl herself, all dressed-up in her new clothes!!
There were nothing but good times had with these girls! How blessed we were to be together while we could!
One great hug good-bye with one great group of girls!!
These kids loved being so close together while we visited, and soaked in as much play time as possible!!

Good-bye and great times! Thank you everyone, Mesa and Safford were all we hoped it would be during our visit! Love you guys!

Kirtlyn's American party in Mexico

Kirtlyn's sexto cumpleanos! No clowns, no jumping toys... just a park, pizza, and Ice cream cake. Very American. We had a great time with our friends: Tami, Christian, Anni, and Danni(L-R). Plus a couple of friends from school.

She got some nice hugs from all of the kids, just for her birthday!
The girls had a great time playing together for the first time outside of school.
Kirtlyn wanted to open her presents at the party, that is what she is use to. I was nervous about this because I have never been to a party in Mexico when presents were opened. They never seem to do that. I was assured that it is fine to open presents, it is just so busy at a normal fiesta that they do not find the time. Everyone enjoyed clapping and cheering for her new gifts.
Here are two of her four favorite girls from school. Lia is in the orange, she tries to use as much English as she can to talk to Kirtlyn. Than Pau (bow) in the white, one of three Pau's in her class. While Kirtlyn was gone, Pau kept going to school saying, Kirtlyn just has to be back today. She really wanted to see her again!
We got her a DQ Ice cream cake. This is not something I have ever seen at a party here. I am pretty sure jello molds are the most popular party desert.
Everyone wanted to see all of her new toys, they are just gathered around trying to get a chance to play!
One of the Barbie toys she got was a spa, they have been playing with it ever since.
Here is the doll her friend Lia gave her, I know you will be impressed when I tell you, little Thomas took this picture!

Spring Break, and So much fun!

Kirtlyn and Greysen, good old friends at the park!
A Tiffany Square reunion, all of our old friends together again at the park!

Left to right: Perkins, Franzen's, Croft's, I am holding the boys & Kirtlyn is there in front, Eyestone's, and Angie & Greyson. It was a perfect day at the park seeing all of our friends! I can Not believe how grown-up those kids are! I really could not recognize them! It was so great to see everyone! I am so grateful those girls would all meet me there, thank you ladies!
We got a chance to go to the Gilbert Library, and than play at the park behind it with friends, it was a great idea! My sister Dawn invited us, and we played with them for a couple of hours. There is So much to do there! This picture is of Hyrum, Kirtlyn, Louie, Tom-Tom, and Thomas. My friend Tess' boys, that we saw at the park at the end of the day.
Thomas was so happy this tree was close enough to the ground to climb!
This picture shows some of the cool play walls the kids can climb on and around. You can see Kirtlyn in the front and Kelsey, my sisters daughter, and Thomas at the back of the shot.
Kelsey following Thomas to make sure he is Ok.
There was always one of Dawn's big kids watching one of my smaller kids, they were Cute!
Yes, that is all hair just from little Thomas' head! I know, it was do time for these hair cuts!
and he sat so well, just laughing at the mass amount of hair falling off of his head!
Once grandma bought Kirtlyn the Barbie, of course we had to throw her a birthday party. Here she is with her "birthday cake" (brownie).
We got to take a trip out to visit grandpa's grave. Kirtlyn walked around and returned flowers to any place that they may have fallen out of.. it was so sweet.
peace.
At his head stone, grandma asked us to sing grandpa's favorite song...

"Give said the little stream" it was a great day!

Leperchauns, family, & friends...happy St. Patrick's day

We had a great family activity to put together a number of school bags for the humanitarian office, to enjoy great family time, and to celebrate St. Patrick's day. We had a great time eating green food, and making good memories!
Hyrum was covered in green frosting from our green cup-cake decorating activity.
Dane knew the best way to eat those green cup-cakes!!
Hyrum, Dane, & Jake enjoying every minute of the day!
Look at those sweet girls.
Grandma and Wyatt.

Well, who couldn't love him! He is a little leperchaun, isn't he?!
We are family
Here it is, the party people, enjoying every piece of that green food!
Cute Kirtlyn, and Kyle.
Cute Kelsey.
There they are, our two little leperchaun's. They look great. The party was just a success!
Here is a perfect shot of Hyrum and Grandma playing one of their silly games... You've got to love it!
This is actually a few days ago, but this is Kirtlyn and her "best friend," Lily. This was a time she has been waiting for, this time with her friends.
Annie, Lily, Hyrum, Kirtlyn, and Thomas gracing us with a special performance. They had a lot of fun making up shows, and running out to show us. good times, great memories.

Utah trip

On Friday the 5th My mother, brother's Chris and Jeff, and I drove to Utah for my brother Stephen's sealing on the 6th. It was a quick trip, but we had a great time, and would do it again if we had to.

Here are some pictures from the big event!
Monday night, following our return from Utah, we had building blocks and baked goods for our FHE activity. It was a fun night, and this picture is taken after we had already given away a plate of cookies, and a Lot of the extra cookies had already been eaten!! Um-um good! Do not worry honey, I will make you some when you get here!
Kirtlyn lost her second tooth while we were driving home from Utah, so she got to have a visit from the tooth fairy that night. It was awfully nice of her to hold on to it until I was coming home!

grandma, grandson, what a shot!
Diesel is one happy baby, yet I always took a picture of him just After a great big smile.. sorry you could not see how cute it was!
Me and the baby Diesel! I could not believe how old he was already, especially since this was my first time meeting him!!
Her is a small view of Steve and Amee's living room. It is a great house for them
Chelsea, LeDawn, and her sister are just as much family to Steve and Amee, as anyone else is!
All of the family together
Amee and the family
The Knudsen family
Just the happily, newly sealed, eternal family... What a special day!
Here are some great shots of the Bountiful temple, where the sealing took place. My brother Chris and I were just in awe with the utter beauty the surrounded that temple!
Directly in front of the Temple there is a circular, downward, view of the underground parking lot... Yes, even that was Beautiful!
We could not believe how many ways we could look at this temple, and see it's beauty!
What a view!
I loved the scenery so much on the road trip, I just had to take a few pictures!
The red rock with the white snow was especially beautiful!
The camera did not fully catch the color and beauty of it!!