Happy Birthday to my favorite son!

The one advantage to being the only boy in a family of five sisters is that you get to be mom's favorite son. And since Ryan now has his own son he is finally over the trauma of Lindsey turning out to be a girl. Here are the top 10 reasons Ryan is my favorite son.

10. He's lots of fun!
He likes hiking, fishing, every sport imaginable, especially surfing! We always have lots of fun when Ryan's there.

9. He lets us call him "Brother."

8. He can handle Ashley . . .

when the rest of us can't. They're quite a team. He stayed with her when she fell of the cliff and broke her leg. He took care of her until the medics arrived, then helped carry her out of the canyon.

7. He's athletic. I enjoyed watching him play baseball, basketball, soccer. He was a great surfer, fisherman, hiker. We ran the St. George Marathon together, and he has completed at least two triathalons.

6. He's organized. Ryan is always organizing some party, outing, or event. When he was in Jr. High I came home from a parent night at school mad because he hadn't advised me about a big project due the next day. His reply was, "I got it done a day early and already turned it in."

5. He's a "people person."
He loves getting people together. He made many trips to St. George to visit grandpa during his last year.

4. Ryan is a true Texan.
He proudly hung the Texas flag from his window at BYU.

3. He was a great missionary!
The people loved him! They even nicknamed him "supisiqui." (ask him what that means)

2. Ryan is an amazing husband and father. . .
and makes the cutest kids!
1. And finally, he's the best son a mom could ever ask for!

Thanks for 30 wonderful years!

HAPPY FADDER's DAY

to a great husband, father, and grandfather! These pictures say it better than I could:

Here's proof that I'm not the only parent guilty of giving chocolate to minors.

I think this photo would win a contest.


Dad and Brittany at a daddy-daughter party



dad and Bex at her baptism . . and here he is multi-tasking, with Ashley making fun of him (imagine that!)

Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday was our anniversary. When I returned to the clinic after spending the day in the "clinica movil" the clinic director asked me to see another patient - in the conference room. When I walked into the room, this is what I found:


along with a note from DTB: Thanx for 33 great, excellent and wonderful years!

My colleagues also pasted several pictures like these around the table:












Then we went to Plaza Royal - which overlooks the Zocalo - for dinner.


It's been an exciting, adventuresome ride . . . and every year is better than the last! Thanks, sweetie, for a wonderful anniversary!

Bancas de Reforma

During the swine flu scare Mexico City was pretty empty. Everyone stayed in their houses with their masks on. (very interesting to me that they take such great precautions during a flu outbreak but never put their kids in car seats or seat belts) We decided to take advantage of the freedom from traffic and take pictures of the interesting benches that flank Reforma - the major thoroughfare through the city. Please vote for your favorite banca! Some had names, others didn't. Invent your own.


banca de circulo . . .







banca de cartas . . .















































banca de parejas amantes . . .










banca de hipopótomo




banca de jardin






sombrero de bruja















banca de arriba abajo . . .






banca de cubos. . .







banca de tapete volando . . .




banca de manos y pies . . .







banca de hombres . . .

Hill Country Weekend

It is said the best things in life are free. Although our weekend in San Antonio was far from free, or even cheap, some of my favorite memories were. Best things about the weekend:

• watching Ryan and Asher
• slumber party with Mabel and Caroline, then Bethany and Mabel
  
• getting a free diagnosis from Dr. Conrad
• having Annie smile every time she saw me coming
• s'mores by the bonfire
• getting a ring pop from Mabel
• cuddles from Devin
• reading a book (spanish) to Asher
• riding the kiddie ferris wheel with Caroline and Mabel
• Annie enjoying being in the water with her mushroom tube
• sharing a frozen lemonade with Caroline
  

I had lots of fun! Sorry everyone else couldn't be there. We missed you!!
and now for some awesome photos . . .

Thanks, Baby!

Thanks, Baby and Harper for letting me stay with you last week. I love your cute little tidy apartment. You made me feel at home. Thanks for sharing Shady's birthday with me! I had a great time!