Rosie & Levi...

Jennie brought the kids over to swim last week and she also brought adorable Rosie.
She was babysitting Rosie for her friend who was recovering from surgery.
Rosie is so cute, and rather patient with Mr. Levi.

Levi... "Rosie, you can't sit in MY chair at MY Grama Linda's!"

"OK Rosie, I will let you play with MY toys."

"But, wait! That's MY gun!"

"It's MY favorite gun!"

"I know I'm supposed to share, but cu'mon it's MY gun! Where's a doll or something?"

"Just look..., see how cute I am! How can you get mad at me?"

The boys...

Last week Lisa, Noah and Ethan came for a visit. I love it when my sister is here.
We didn't do much except eat, swim and read. It was perfect!

E.J., Liam and Kaden and Noah

The boys are hooked on some show about a Pawn Shop in Vegas that they just had to go and see. Those crazy boys...

Howdy!

Our missionary, Sister Allyson K. Schlauder is doing great! Her emails are amazing and she has truly loved the MTC. It has not been easy, in fact it has been really hard, but also exhilarating, spiritual, and wonderful. Tomorrow she is off to Houston, Texas... she is ready and very excited for this new adventure. She gets to call us from the airport and we can't wait to hear her voice. The next time we will get to talk to her is Christmas. Until then it's just letters and an email once a week.
We love you Ally. We are so proud of you.
Here is a little part of her email today...
"We watched a talk by Elder Holland the other day. He said something that really impacted me. "It's (missionary work) not something you do because it's convenient or comfortable." I have realized that this isn't about being comfortable. I am actually becoming quite familiar with not being comfortable. It's not why I came out here. I came out here because I love the Lord and I had goodly parents who taught me to trust the Lord. I am enjoying the journey and am so excited to go to the temple tonight and leave for Houston tomorrow.
I love you all..."

"When I spoke in church the other week, I gave this analogy about the worth of souls... When you are walking down the street and you see a penny, the likely-hood is that you won't pick it up. (Unless you are Papa Jack because he said, "a penny found is a penny earned" when we were at the nail salon before I left. He even picked it up out of the gutter!) But if you see a quarter, you will definitely pick it up and feel like it was a treasure found. I feel like we are all quarters. We are all of great worth... and God will always pick us up. We just have to do our part and pray and ask for help, and I know He will guide us and be with us and pick us up because we are His children and we are worth it!" Sister Schlauder (from last weeks email)


"I love it here. I really do. I am a missionary for Jesus Christ's church! Can you believe it? I just rub my name tag sometimes. I slept with it on the first night because I was so thrilled to have it on. I have since retired it to the desk for the 8 hours of sleep, but quickly put it on right when I wake up. I love being called sister everyday by everyone, and I genuinely feel that I we are children of God every day." Sister Schlauder (from Ally's 1st email home)

MM19

Allyn and I were on our Honeymoon in Hawaii when this picture was taken in front of the Hawaii Temple. We look like kids! It's hard to believe that it was more than 34 years ago. I am sure lucky I found this guy dragging Fremont Street when I was seventeen. Macayo's parking lot was where we were first introduced, and even still whenever I drive by it, I remember that night and how smitten I was by this tall, long haired, handsome "fox"...yes, it was the 70's... cut his hair and he looks just the same! Now that's crazy.

Pink Day...

Last Saturday, June 5th would have been my mom's 84th birthday. We have forever more declared June 5th "Pink Day" in honor of Mom. My sweet dad has started a tradition of taking us to Lawry's for dinner, since it was Mom's favorite place for dinner. It was wonderful to have almost all of us brothers and sisters there with Dad...
and it was great to have Jaclyn and Tara there too.
We missed Steve and Rena as they were in the middle of moving. Next year they will be there for sure.
Dad was very emotional as we sang Happy Birthday to Mom and he blew out her candle...

Here is Mom blowing out the candle on her cake at Lawry's just two years ago...

Another cast is off!

Thank goodness Kaden's ankle cast came off last week! He could hardly take not swimming another minute...
and it is off just in time for our 108 degree weather.
And yes, he is at football practice tonight with his dad.

Kaden was awarded MVP for the spring football season. He had a blast with his Wolverine football team...
even with a broken ankle.

MM18

Was this a premonition of things to come? Ally sure looks cute in her Texas style hat!

Bristol's Sealing

On May 29th, I got up early and drove to Salt Lake City to see beautiful Bristol sealed to his forever family.
It was such a privilege and a blessing to be there.
Bristol is so loved and adored...and has a huge, amazing, wonderful family who will bless his life always.
I am grateful to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who knows each one of us personally, and unconditionally gives us His love, His grace and blesses us with peace and promises us forever...

Jackson is 8!

Jackson turned eight on may 28th. He is such a good, sweet, cute, wonderful boy! We love you Jacks!!! Today he was baptized by his dad. It was great to be there and help him celebrate his special day.
We are so proud of you handsome Jackson.

MM17

Oh my goodness, I am so far behind! It's already Wednesday and I just realized that I forgot about my Memory Monday post. I will do some catching up later...but first here is a picture that was taken on Allyson's 1st birthday, 20+ years ago. Allyn's dad, Arthur David Schlauder was an amazing man. He would have been 91 on June 8th of this year. We sadly lost him almost 12 years ago to Alzheimer's Disease. Grandpa Schlauder was funny, very quick witted, so wise, held the Iowa State's record in the 100 yard dash for many, many years, was gentle, kind, completely honest, loving, righteous and true, rose above many challenges, and is a wonderful example to us all.

Allyn David is like his dad in so many ways.