Aynslee...How Can This Be?

Just a few weeks ago across the pond!

With Owen...

Today our granddaughter Aynslee turned 12!  How can that be?  She has become a young woman in the blink of an eye.  She lives in England this year so we have not talked to her today.  We always try to talk to the grandkids on their birthday.  I missed that and Grampa did too.  Ayns since you are 8 hours ahead of us, I hope your birthday was fantastic.  I am sure it was...your Mom and Dad do it up right.

Here is a blog post I did for you when you were 7.  Look what five years can do!  So many cool things are about to happen.  Enjoy the Young Women's program at church.  Enjoy school in the UK even if they do make you guys wear funny uniforms.  Make new friends and write in your journal so you won't forget this time. And remember how our family loves you.  Think...Family Flower.  Hopefully we will be seeing you sometime in May...probably the middle or so.  That is if the "M" BnB is not already reserved for that time.

I love this cake!  It reminds me of you!
I traded it out for the more little
 girl cake that was here.

Here is the blog post  from the past.
    Time Flies!  Enjoy

Let's Celebrate!!

Today is our granddaughter, Aynslee's birthday! Today she is SEVEN. Aynslee is the only member of our family born in New York. She was born when her Daddy was a PhD student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. We didn't get to see her so much that first year or so and we were very thankful for pictures and phone calls and letters. It is amazing that she is 7 already and she has lived in three places, NY, China, and Utah!

This little blond beauty was quite the rave in China and for some, the only little blond girl they had ever seen! The Chinese ladies always wanted to touch her golden hair. Aynslee has had a good year. She has been a lot of fun places with her family. She has grown up and changed so much this year. To me the biggest change has been all about teeth! It is quite dramatic really!

Here she is last year on her 6th birthday.

Here she is when her front teeth
 came out just a day apart!
Now here she is on her first day
 of first grade!
I think she looks beautiful with her
 new teeth!Aynslee and her best guys!

Sledding with Grampa and her
 brothers in the backyard

Visiting us in CA in the Spring  

Fun with Owen

Family hike this summer

Aynlsee loves artShe enjoyed Kindergarten!

Aynslee's picture of Julia and herself!
Happy Birthday, Aynslee! 



Grampa and I are sending you lots of love and 
hugs and kisses and we hope you like 
the present from us! 
We think you are fabulous and 
wouldn't trade you for the world!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO and one to grow on XO!

Aynslee, It's Your Day!

Happy Birthday Aynslee!

Ayns is NINE years old today! She is growing up so fast and has become quite the young lady this past year. It is amazing to watch our little ones just blossom into these incredible people that are having a positive impact on our world. I love it when you see young people that contribute to making the world a better place to be. Anyslee is one of them and we are so proud of her.

W all had such a fun time together this summer
at our family reunion and here is Aynslee
with her Great-Grandma Gloria.

Anyslee and her Dad had an overnight camping trip with the other Daddies and Daughters of their ward. Grampa was invited to join them while we were in Utah this summer. Anyslee has a special love for her Grampa and she really enjoying being with both of them. They went out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant that Aynslee chose and then they drove to the camp and settled in with the group for the night. They got up very early and hiked in the dark to a hot springs area where they enjoyed a nice warm dip in the springs and all before the rest of the world was awake!

Grampa had fun taking pictures of
Chris and his favorite girl!


Hungry, Christoper?

Enjoying the sunshine on her shoulders!

Anyslee is one of the few of our grandchildren that likes having her picture taken. That is so nice because she is relaxed and the photos clearly show what she really looks like. Chris took this one of her at Sundance. Beautiful isn't she? And even more important and lovely is her sweet heart.

Ayns at school with her friends.

Out in front of their house! Looks like she might
be going to school with that fancy bag she is toting!

~Blast From The Past ~
Aynslee picking out a pumpkin when she was little!
You've come a long way, Baby!

Aynslee took ice skating lessons last season.

Grampa and I got to watch her skate a few times and she is really very good. She just looks like a natural out there on the ice. In fact, she is having her friends birthday party at the ice rink this week.

flickr

We hope your birthday, the party and
your new year is just fantastic, Aynslee!

flickr

Well here is a Happy Birthday Cake I found for you, Anyslee, and I cannot believe it has your name on it. Perfect! Enjoy your real birthday treats, presents and special dinner that you got to choose yourself. Mom says it is fried rice, fresh fruit and brownies made by Connor with ice cream! Great choices, Ayns! Wish we could share this special day with you!

All our love and best wishes!
Gramma and Grampa!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO and one to grow on XO

Utah Family Fall Fest 2010

Autumn is in the air!

While in Utah we stayed exclusively with Chris and Missy. Ideally we like to stay with everyone if we are there long enough but the past three years it has been very heavy on the Jen and Lowell side so we could help out more with Hazie. Chris and Missy have been very understanding but it has been hard on their kids. We feel better now that things have evened out a little more.

They worked like dogs to get as much of the basement remodel done before we came and bought a nice trundle bed for Aynslee's room so we stayed in there. Thanks Aynslee! It was great being with all of you! Jim had the opportunity to go to see Chris in action with his engineering students. He sure loved that! Missy and I did some shopping with Owen while the other kids were all in school. My favorite clothing stores, Christopher Banks and CJ Banks are there so I bought some things to take back east. Missy was kind to wait for me. I don't like having people wait but she didn't complain. She is a very gracious and giving person.

Our main reason for stopping over there was to enjoy Aynslee's baptism and party and to celebrate Hazie's birthday. We also got to go to a fun Harvest Festival at the kids' school and had a super fun BBQ at the Canyon with family and friends for Hazie's birthday. Here are a few photos of those fast four days.

This is Aynslee on her baptism day in the beautiful white dress her other Grandmother made for her. Barbara did a beautiful job and Miss Aynslee looked so sweet. What a wonderful day for us all to share.

Chris is all prepared in his white jumpsuit, to baptism his only daughter. What a blessing and a cherished memory. When the little children are baptized the other kids are invited to come up to the edge of the font and watch. It was so joyous to see seven siblings and cousins all gather around sitting on the floor seeing Aynslee take this important step. Oh, I do love being a grandparent!

The boys helped me finish up some mini-cherry cheese cakes Missy was serving as one of several desserts she made for the dinner after the baptism. She is a fab cook and very creative in the kitchen. Great menu!

Chloe, Owen and Hazie!

I love how after dinner the kids all played outside together. Hazie sits out in the yard and they all make sure to include her. To me that is the sweetest thing of all. They are so aware of her and her special needs.

The Harvest Festival at school

This was a big deal for the kids and their families, lots of fun things for the kids to do, face painting, hair styling and painting, lots of games with prizes, pizza, desserts, a silent action to raise money for the school, a DJ, it was a fun time.

Julia with some sort of face paint and a fancy hairdo.

Chris and Missy and Connor and Zach with their fancy hair.

Connor had a flag football game that Grampa and Chris and Owen went to see.

Chris and Owie at the game!

We were so excited about the fall foliage tour we were planning in New England that we had Jen drive us out to the canyon one afternoon in hopes of getting a glimpse. There was excitement in the air after last year when we hit it just right. Wanted Jim to see it first hand! (I think this looks just like part of our street without the houses on it!)

But we did not get there at prime time, still a little too early.

Last year in the canyon on a peak day.

JJ 'Whippin' Her Hair' (Google this) in the canyon! It probably looks just like this right now. Does it get any prettier than this. Not really!

Fishing on the river at Hazie's party!

Lowell was in charge of the fire for cooking and
warmth and marshmallows!
Shelby watches!

Hot dogs for the family and core friends,
all celebrating Hazie turning 3!

Hazie loved her new baby.

She was so adorable with her. She kept hugging her and saying, "Grampa, she's soooo tiny!" She could not be more adorable I promise you! She loved this birthday present so much!

She loved this doggie too but already had her baby stripped
down getting ready for bed!

Morgan and Piper and Mitrian getting ready for a little cooking.

Mesmerized by the camp fire,
snuggling with Aunt Missy and waiting for
marshmallows and birthday cake.

Finally it was nearly dark and time to sing to our baby!

She loved it.

It was a wonderful four days and the next morning came pretty early for our flight to Rhode Island! We are so blessed to have these wonderful sweet people as our family members and good friends. God is so good to us all!