Memorial Day BBQ

Ric and Mary are such wonderful hosts. We enjoyed a delicious BBQ/Birthday Party/Memorial Day Celebration at their beautiful home. No one cooks like Aunt Mary...and no one BBQ's like Uncle Ric.

I'm sure I gained 5lbs. last night. And it was worth every ounce!

Getting all of Ric and Mary's kids together at the same time for a picture is quite a feat.
I'm happy to have proof that we did it!

It was great to get to see Mayce, Ethan and baby Trey. That boy is so cute and sooo good.
One more year of law school for Ethan...wooohooo!

Proud Grandpas...



Piper loves her Grandma...

Levi and Piper were best friends all evening...even if Levi called Piper "Pipes" and "Poop."
He just couldn't seem to get her name right. She still loved him anyway. It must be those curls.



I am so proud of of our families three Navy men...

I can still remember when Ric came home from Vietnam and came in uniform to John S.Park to speak to my 6th grade class. That was one of the coolest days ever. I was so proud of my big brothers.
I remember praying for Ric and Ron every night for years as they served our country.

I am humbled and grateful for all of the brave men and women who sacrifice and risk their very lives for the cause of freedom...for our freedom.
Here is a letter that we found in Mom's journal that Ric had written to her in 1967 while on a ship just off of the coast of Vietnam. It's amazing. I cry every time I read it.
(Click on them and they will go bigger so you can read it better...)

MM67

In honor of my brother Ric's 65th birthday...
Here is a great 4 generation picture of Grandpa Cliff Huntington, Papa Jack, Ric and Calder.

And here is one taken tonight at Ric's birthday BBQ...

Happy Birthday Ric... We love you!

Caleb

Caleb is 8!! Say what? I can hardly believe that Caleb is 8 years old already...For his birthday, he wanted to go to FlipNOut, a cool warehouse with tons of trampolines, slides, and games. He had a grin from ear to ear...and he had a great birthday party. We love you Caleb!!!

Taylor was practicing her toe touches for cheerleading.

(Yep, TayTay is a new cheerleader for her middle school next year...middle school, WHAT!!)

Aunt Amber was giving her toe touch tips...how she can still do that I'll never know!

Levi in his everyday attire...oh, that boy is cute!

MM66

Last week my good friend Candy invited a few old friends over to her home for a delicious lunch. We have been friends for over 30 years! And Candy & Gary lived across the street from us for almost 18 of those years... going back over there and looking at our old house on Patrick Lane sure brought back a lot of memories. I thought of many wonderful days and cherished memories raising our little family in that home.
It will always hold a special place in my heart...
(Even though it looks and feels so much different now!) Yep, I shed a tear or two as I drove by.

HOME
by Jennifer Burns
Home is pictures of memories on the wall.
Home is sleeping in my own bed.
Home is waking up to the smell of mom's cooking.
Home is sharing the holidays with family.
Home is playing the piano in the living room.
Home is a warm place to be.
Home is sweet.
Home is the place for me.
Home is filled with love.
Home is blessed from heaven above.
Home is where my heart is.
Home has a strong foundation.
It can weather any storm.
Home is where I belong.
Home is a beautiful place.

Ally Update

Allyson and her companion, Sister Taylor

It's waaay past time for an Ally update! I just posted some of her emails and some pictures on her blog...but I wanted to put an update on mine too.
Allyson is amazing!!! It was so great to get to talk to her on Mother's Day. She sounds wonderful and we cherished every minute of being able to hear her voice. She made us laugh and cry all at the same time. She is loving Houston and the great people there. And she is bringing blessings to our family every day.
I am amazed to realize that there are over 50,000 LDS missionaries serving all over the world right now. They go at their own expense, leaving school & jobs for a time (2 years or 18 months), only call home 2 times a year, learn different languages & cultures, never watch tv (unless it is a church video), leave behind loved ones, teach about Christ every day, and study, serve, love, help and give of themselves willingly. Their courage, strength and testimony is such an inspiration.
We love you Ally Kay! We miss you like crazy...but we are so grateful for your sacrifice and willingness to be a missionary. You've always wanted to go on a mission...you talked about it and sang about it from the time you were a little girl!
It's hard to believe that you have already been a full time missionary for a year!!

"We saw a man jogging the other day with a big sign strapped to his back that said,"Honk for Jesus". My companion and I got so excited. I honked the horn. And then Sister Taylor and I looked at each other and said, "We are missionaries for Jesus!" It was a cool moment. We really are. That's a lot to live up to. But it's more to live for."

"My heart is totally full right now. I remember hearing Sister Lords bear her testimony in sacrament meeting several years ago. I remember her saying her heart was full to the brim and even overflowing. I have often heard others say that since, and I have tried to understand how that might feel. Today I know exactly how it feels. I just want each of you to know how much I love you. How yesterday when I was tired and did not want to keep knocking doors to no avail, how it was hot and sticky and I just wanted to be done... I thought of my precious family, and it was as if someone pulled a string on my heavy heart and just lifted it up. My burdens were made light.... I have been blessed with so many tender mercies and so many wonderful people I love so much. I grow from each of you. I miss you."

MM65

It was Amy's birthday on May 7th... so today for Memory Monday, a walk down memory lane with Amy.
She was such a cute little girl...who didn't stay little for very long!
She has always brought so much joy and happiness to our family and to so many. We love you Amy!!

Sweet Sixteen

Happy 25th birthday Amy
You are beautiful, fearless, genuine, adventurous, smart, talented, giving, amazing, good, etc.etc.etc.
We love you!!!!!
She celebrated her birthday with good friends and dancing... after a long day of coaching volleyball.
(Her team brought her roses and a birthday cake and won their tournament!! Yea!)

Rachel and Amy all ready to go salsa dancing...