L.E.

This is two-year-old L.E. We call her L.E., but her initials stand for Lynda Elaine. She is named for her two grandmothers. This little girl is full of personality. I call her the "Quiet Tornado". She is sweet, all smiles, full of love, hugs and kisses. She has a quiet way about her, but don't let that fool you. She can do more damage than most boisterous, loud kids. But she does do it with a smile. One of her greatest talents is that she wraps every male in the room right around her tiny little finger. Especially her Daddy and her Grandpa. She just puts her arms around their neck and hugs them and kisses them and they will give her whatever she wants. They just melt.

In the picture above where L.E. is sitting on the sink, she had just got up from what we thought was a nap. But she used this quiet time wisely to explore and find fun things to do. Well, she found a jar of vaseline. It was a fairly large jar. She not only had vaseline all over her hands and her face and in her hair, but the "Pack and Play" and the carpet had a nice greasing down too. But how can you be mad at that face. We just laughed and now when she takes a nap we choose a room that is fairly kid safe.

Speaking of naps, last time they were here Kayce took her in and laid by her to get her to go to sleep. Kayce was a little tired herself. L.E. tickled her back and pretty much soothed her mother to sleep. Did LE. sleep? What do you think?

As L.E. is learning to talk she has some really cute things she does to communicate. She will ask for something and if you can understand what she really wants, when you hit on it, she will say "Yea". She always says thank-you for everything.

L.E. is unafraid. She never balks at anything. She and her cousin, Dalley, just hit it off really good. When they are together they don't need anyone else. They talk, play, and pretty much entertain each other. But they become twin tornados. And these tornados aren't quiet. So the best thing to do with those two is to get them outside in the wide open space. It is much safer that way.

But oh, this girl has my heart. I have to admit she melts me too. She can do no wrong in my eyes. I adore her.

Love ya L.E.,

Grandma

Luke Shawn

This is Luke Shawn, named for his Dad and his Uncle Shawn. We call him Lukie to distinguish between him and his Dad. I told him the other day that when he felt like he didn't want to be called Lukie anymore, then he should let me know and we will call him whatever he wants. He said that he would let me know when, but he would like to be called Luke Shawn. So there you go. He was sure named right in being named after his father. From the minute he was born I felt like I had gone back in time. I felt like I was holding my baby boy again. He looks like his Dad and he is totally his Dad in every way. Quite often I tell Kayce "Sorry about that." But I'm not really sorry, nor is she. Luke was a delightful baby and a fun kid to have around. And so is Lukie.

When Lukie was only five months old Luke had to have surgery on his eye. He had to have a cornea transplant. Kayce needed to be with him, so I took the kids for a week. Lukie was absolutely easy to take care of even at five months. But that is when his attachment grew for his Grandpa. He loves the ranch, he loves being a cowboy, he loves going fishing, he loves exploring outside, he loves working, he LOVES his Grandpa. I think he loves me too, but he really LOVES his Grandpa.

Recently, Luke brought Lukie and came to help Rocky on the ranch for a week. The other kids had school so they didn't get to come. Boy was Lukie in heaven, and so were we. What a fun time we had with him. I adore this boy. Who wouldn't. Now we are planning a time for Cody to come and visit, just him. But the funny thing is, he wants Lukie to come too. They love each other, these two boys. I love that they are close to each other and love being together.

Funny Story: I have MANY funny stories about Lukie. I will have to tell two of them because I can't choose between these two favorites. 1st one: When Lukie was staying with us that time when it was just him and his Dad, he did some art work for me. He drew a picture of a heart and wrote some letters on it, the ones he knows how to write I guess. Anyway, he asked me what the heart said on it. I thought he had tried to write something on there but I wasn't sure what it was that he had wanted to write, so I said, "I don't know Lukie, what does it say." He said, "Grandma, I don't know how to read. Don't you know how to read." What a character.

2nd one: Usually when the kids are here I try to read a bedtime story to them. They all get tucked into bed and I go read to them. I had bought a new book and was anxious to read it to them. It was a "Winnie the Pooh" book, one of my favorites. So I read to them for a little while, then they asked if they could have one more story. Lukie said, "Yeah and this time, Grandma, tell us a story from your mouth." ( He meant, don't read it, just tell one.) That was so funny. All of us got a good laugh out of that one.

Lukie, I adore you and always will. Love,

Grandma

Kate Evelyn

This is Kate Evelyn, named for my mother. We call her Kate. This is a very remarkable girl. She has a gift. I have never seen such an artistic ability in a child from such a young age. When she was only 3 she could draw like a 10 year old. Now that she is 7 she draws and does artwork that is better than I or most people could ever do.

Kate loves people and she loves to talk. She started talking very clearly at about age 1. She visits with anyone she sees. She isn't a bit shy. One time I needed to go to St. George and I didn't want to go by myself. It happened to be a time when Luke and his family were here, so they sent Kate with me. She kept me awake the whole way there and back.

Even though she is talkative, she also can be quiet and do her own thing for hours. She is polite and sweet. She has a serenity about her. I love having her around. She loves to ask me about my mother, her namesake. I had a book of pictures of my mother. She was so interested in it that I gave her one similar for Christmas. She loved it. She also treasures a picture of my mother that she keeps on her wall. She heals my heart. I love this girl. I feel very close to her. She is always coming and quietly giving me a hug. She likes to be with me. And the feeling is mutual.

Funny Story: The day after that trip that we took to St. George together, she went to the range with her Grandpa, her Dad, and her brothers. They had a cook out and they had roasted marshmallows. She told her Grandpa, Rocky, that this was the second best day of her life. He said "Well, what is your best day?". She said "Yesterday, with Grandma was the best day of my life."

I am blessed to have this girl in my life. I love you bunches Kate,

Grandma

Cody

This is Cody. He is 8 years old. He is the oldest in his family. He is an outstanding boy. He is bright, intelligent, polite, hardworking, sweet. He is our scientist. He finds out all about things all the time. He particularly likes animals, insects, reptiles, whatever you can catch. He knows about dinosaurs, fish, lizards, whatever there is to learn about in that area. Whenever he comes to visit he takes home lizards, spiders, scorpions, etc. Sometimes Grandpa has some already caught for him when he gets here. One time I caught Cody a baby horny toad. He thought that was the best thing in the world. Last year when we went to Niagara Falls, we brought him a live snail all the way back with us. He was thrilled.

Cody is a hard worker. Whenever he comes with his family to help out on the ranch, he is out there the whole time that his Dad and Grandpa are out there working. He is a big help.

Cody likes to go fishing, but not for the same reason that everyone else is going. He likes to catch crawdads or let the fish go that others have caught or beg someone to let him keep their fish. He has caught frogs and gave them a new home in the horse water trough.

It is easy to give Cody a gift. If it has to do with science or animals, he will love it.

Cody is learning to play the harmonica. He is excited and entusiastic about it.

Cody suffers from allergies and asthma, but that does not stop him from enjoying the things he loves to do, many of which give him allergies. He is allergic to hay, horses, and cats among other things. He deals with this very well.
Funny story: When Cody was really small, maybe 5 years old, he was telling us all about how when he got older he was going to have a museum. He was telling us all about the things that he would have in there and how he would take care of everything. Then he looked at me and said, "Grandma, you should have your own museum too." I said, "But Cody I wouldn't know how to start a museum like you do. I wouldn't be able to do it." He said, "But Grandma, all you have to do is read. Don't you read." What a hoot. I have been laughing about that ever since.

Well it is pure joy watching this boy grow up. I am looking forward to seeing what he can become. I know it will be great. I love you Cody,

Grandma

Tifnee

This is Tifnee. She is 6 years old and is the youngest of Rowdy's family. She is a very independent girl. She will go far in life because whatever she wants to do she will put 100% into and she WILL do it.
I have had the opportunity to babysit Tifnee a few times. I have found her with a ready smile and full of sunshine most of the time. She was easy to take care of and played by herself quite well when the other kids were in school. She loves books, games, puzzles, music, etc. She is smart and she works hard at whatever she wants.

When Tifnee was a baby she was quite the Daddy's girl. I love this about her because I kind of like her Daddy too. Tifnee also adores her sisters. She is very close with them.

Funny Story: When Tifnee was very small she was staying with me while her parents went somewhere. I put her down for a nap. I thought she was sleeping very well and it seemed to be a fairly long nap. Later I went to check on her only to find that she had found some fingernail polish and had entertained herself quite well. But it wasn't too disastrous. The only thing that was permanently colored was my temple quilt. But I just look at that all the time now and remember what a precious little girl she is and she is way more important than a quilt.

I love you Tiffy

Grandma

Britnee

This is Britnee Rose, our 8 year old wonder. From the moment she was born she has been absolutely beautiful. From before she was born her life has been a battle. They thought she would have some birth defects. But she didn't. She is beautiful, exceptionally bright, talented, and always cheerful. She has had some major health issues, however. But you would never know it looking at her or talking to her. She never talks about it except as a matter of fact. She never lets it affect her outlook on life. In fact, she kind of enjoys the hospital stays. She likes being pampered a bit, I think. But she isn't the pampered kind. She is very independent and determined to do the things that she enjoys. She is my hero.

Britnee has beautiful hair. She can grow it really long. She had it really long before this picture. But she had it cut and donated to the "Locks of Love". Alyssa does this also.

With one of Britnee's healthe issues, she developed some scar tissue on her voice box. She can only whisper now. She had a tiny little voice to start with, but now it is very quiet. But, again, this does not get her down. She has found a way to kind of talk in a high pitch, so that it is louder. Someday she will have another surgery to see if the removing the scar tissue will help. But no one is in too big of a hurry for that since she went through a complete year trying to heal from her last surgery. But until then...... Did I say this girl is a trooper?

Britnee especially loves her Uncle Ryan. They have a little something special. They adore each other. In fact, if he is around I don't see a whole lot of her. She follows him like a shadow.

Funny Story: Britnee wrote to Ryan on his mission right after her baptism. She told him that she wished that he could have been there and that she missed him. She said "I miss you so much. If you look really close you can see tears all over this paper." That, of course, melted his heart.

Britnee is very talented on the piano and with dancing. She is a natural. She, like Crystal, reads far above her age level. She is amazing. I guess you can tell that she means the world to me. I miss seeing her. We don't get to see her family very much. But when we do it is awesome.
I love you Britnee, always and forever,

Grandma

Alyssa

This is Alyssa, my 12 year old beautiful granddaughter. This isn't the best picture, but it's all I have right now that is current.

Alyssa is my kindred spirit. We have just clicked since she was born. She is one of the two grandchildren I have been present for their birth. I felt my mother's presence when she was born. Maybe my mother taught her all about me. Maybe this bonded us. All I know is this girl and I just click.

When Alyssa was four years old she was diagnosed with Long QT. It was discovered when she passed out for no reason. She has a pacemaker that she will live with for the rest of her life. She is one of the bravest girls I know. She is smart and funny and pure joy to be around.

Alyssa is a wonderful big sister. She cares for her two younger sisters and plays with them and seems to enjoy doing it.
When Alyssa was little, her family lived just across a dirt road on the ranch from us. She would love to come and visit me all by herself. She was such a funny little girl. She was such fun. She is very creative and easy to entertain. She loves to hear stories that I wrote in my journal. Whenever I stay at her house she asks for bedtime stories of our family. She especially likes ones about her Dad.

Funny Story: When her family moved this last time I was emailing her and asking her how she was doing. Did she have some new friends? Did she like school? What was her favorite subject? She wrote back and said that she had some friends and that school was okay. I think lunch was her favorite subject. And then she said, "One thing that I just don't like about school is learning. I don't like learning." I laughed and laughed about that. She is so funny.

Well, to sum it all up about Alyssa, she is bright, sunshine, funny, beautiful, sweet, loving, all that any grandmother would want in a granddaughter.

Love ya Alyssa,

Grandma