Merry Merry Christmas to You

Lots of love to you from Claigh, Wendy and Alyssa wishing one and all a very merry Christmas and the peace on earth that comes from a heart dedicated to the Prince of Peace. . . .

Gregory Scott Stalcup

Born Sunday, December 14, 2008 8:13 p.m. in Chillicothe, Ohio
Beautiful Momma: Ashlee Faith
Proud Papa: Steven Wade
Brothers and Sisters: Bryn, Spencer, Kes, Will

December Birthday Extravaganza Continues

What is one of the best things about our living in Virginia? Our daughter Cameron was introduced to a great man from Seattle! Okay so he is a little wacky but just the right amount for some fun times. The long distance didn't keep this guy at bay and are we ever glad! December 15th is an anniversary celebration of this terrific love affair.

As a team Collins and Cameron provide some great opportunities for their children. Their home is truly a house of learning.

We may not have had sons on the early end of our family but we certainly have made up for it in our wonderful son-in-laws. We are so grateful for Collins' dedication and love for Cameron and the kids. Isn't family the best? An avid scouter makes Collins the perfect guy to have around for some great fun or in a crisis for that matter. He is currently teaching Seminary which as many of you know is something very near and dear to my heart. Happy Happy December 16th Birthday Collins!

Adding to the festive spirit, Ashlee and Steve delivered their new son yesterday. We know him as "yet to be named." He is a perfect 7 pounds and one ounce born at 8:15 p.m. December 14th. Ashlee and baby are doing great! - All right everyone - December is FULL!!! The best of full though :o)

Brigham Newell Bailey

December 13th is a Brigham Newell Bailey celebration! We think baby Lucy is very fortunate to have such a sweet "big brother" Brig. This little guy had such a rough start in life but thanks to his mother's persistence he has grown into a very happy two-year old. That is - happy unless it is nap time! Brig is the Bailey Boy who rules the family dog. Brig is a joy.

Our newest seven year old . . .

Today Xander joins Spencer in the ranks of the family seven year olds. It is very exciting to have another awesome boy begin his preparations for baptism. Xander has a great wit and can quickly bring a smile to this grandmother's face. He is bright and curious about most anything he can find to study. (I had a fun time learning all about various war ships on our last visit to Arizona.) Grandpa and Jacob were sure glad to have Xander on their team for Thanksgiving Day Football. Xander caught two great touchdown passes! Alexander Kaden Anderson is a delight!

Terrific Teen

That's right! Carey and Todd's oldest, Jacob Calvin Bailey is thirteen today and we couldn't be more grateful for such a wonderful grandson.



















An all American boy, Jake enjoys anything "Marine." Last December 7th, we took Jake to a memorial service commemorating the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This picture shows Jacob with one of the seamen who survived the attack so long ago. We are grateful for Jake's love of country. Most important to us however is Jake's love of the gospel and the depth of his understanding of the teachings of the Savior.

When Jake smiles, his face lights up the whole room. Claigh particularly enjoys Jacob's willingness to spend time with him. Jacob and Claigh were the first of the family to do the Squaw Peak hike a couple of years ago. They even made the local TV news! This Thanksgiving they were able to share the Squaw Peak experience with Grandma Bailey, Todd, Noah, Jennie, Jared and Elijah. It is fun to see Jake's special relationship with his Uncle Jared.

How we love this boy!

Happy Birthday Steve

December 8th is particularly special to this family because that is the day we celebrate our very own Stephen Wade Stalcup! I love this picture of Steve with his oldest child Brynja. Good dads are a premium and Steve is a great dad for his four (soon to be five) children. Steve works as a manager for Tractor Supply Company and is known as "Vorian" in the Lenox world but to us he is simply one of our best blessings.

Turducken Festivities

With no job prospects for Alyssa immediately on the horizon, we decided to load up the car pre-Thanksgiving week and head for Arizona. This was to be Alyssa's first trip to "The Grand Canyon State" and there were nine nieces and nephews who hadn't seen her for a very long time. I was anxious to check on Carey's well-being and see baby Lucy for the first time. (Carey is doing great and as for Lucy, what a beautiful baby girl!)
Some highlights from the week:
- beautiful weather for the drive down through some of the most incredible country in the world
- getting to see Xander and Elijah in their last soccer games of the seasons - Jared coached Xander and Maxwell's teams this year - very neat! Elijah can really jump to defend the goal.
- time at Sara and Jared's home in Chandler, Arizona
- Uno Attack
- dinosaurs that glow in the dark
- yummy chili potatoes
- picking up Claigh at the airport Wednesday - It is always better with Claigh!!
- Gilbert, Arizona hospitality
- Jenny kindness (Thanks for the use of your bedroom Jensen. We really appreciate your sacrifice and graciousness.)
- Thanksgiving Day football in the back-yard
- two large tables - five gallon bucket seats - cup confusion
- Turducken ala Todd (Todd likes to add a little flair!)
- the best - I'm not kidding - the very best chocolate pecan pie ever - Thanks Sara!
- And - tasty pumpkin gooey butter cake ala Carey with fresh whipped cream - I think Thanksgiving is really about the desserts isn't it? Well maybe not just the desserts if you have Turducken!
- rescuing Brig from his nap - We all wonder when he will discover he can really get out of his bed on his own.(lol)
- a few hours alone with Lucy in the early morning on Friday
- Todd's mom Ellen. She is a phenomenal mother-in-law and grandmother and is currently living with the Bailey crew.
- Ellen Bailey roast - You haven't lived till you've had it!
- Jacob smiles
- cousin fun times
- Wii sports
- Alyssa re-connecting with Jen Barberia and Benny
- Seth jokes
- Noah, Jennie, Jacob, Elijah, Jared, Todd and Claigh's hike up Squaw Peak Saturday morning
- Einstein Bagels for Alyssa - The girl is really missing the bagels from back east so this was a real treat for her. There are no bagels in Portugal and believe me, Idaho Falls hasn't discovered bagel goodness yet so it had been a very long time since she has had one.
- discovering a flattening tire before we got onto the highway home. This meant a full morning at Sears on the way out of town. There was a crack in one of the stems and a recall on the tires so all four tire stems had to be replaced and the tires rotated. This meant a late start for us but we were grateful to not be stuck in the middle of absolutely no-where with tire trouble!
- my first time over Hoover Dam - That was impressive!
- a stop in Henderson, Nevada for supper to visit with Alyssa's best friend from High School and her husband. FYI Hugo Fam: Janelle and Fabian look great and are doing super. We really enjoyed our short time with them.
- Not Good - I got very sick Saturday night in Cedar City making it necessary to head straight for home first thing Sunday morning. We had hoped to see Joe and attend church with him but plans had to be adjusted. Thankfully by Wednesday, I was up and about again . . . AND
- Alyssa was fortunate to have work within two days of arriving home. Now that's a true blessing.

How we love our two Arizona families!

Lucy meets her brothers and sister

Jennie and Jacob are the first Bailey kids to welcome Lucy.






Noah holds peaceful Lucy.










Seth takes his turn enjoying "little sis."

Brig decides, "Okay, We'll keep her."


Todd and Carey have provided us with six beautiful grandchildren. We are so deeply grateful for the security and love they provide for their dear family. Life can be so good!

Introducing our Lucy . . .

Lucy Doreen Katherine Bailey was born at 9:33 a.m. in Gilbert Arizona. She is a beauty. Carey and Todd couldn't be happier. Lucy weighed 7 pounds 7 ounces and has lots of very dark hair. She is the only Bailey not born a blondie (could this be in honor of her Aunt Cindy with whom she shares a birthday?) Happy Happy Day!




"Lucy" means "light" and Doreen was my first mom's middle name. When we were in Canada a couple of years ago, my mother's best friend from high school couldn't get over how much Carey looked like Shirley Doreen. My mother was a very talented young woman. She had natural musical ability and played the piano by ear. I also remember a dress she made for me. She died at the young age of 24 years old. I am deeply touched for her to have a namesake. Katherine is for Todd's sister Katie.

We're home . . .

On the way to Seattle we took the northern route and coming home we took the southern. What long 12 hour drives and yet what beautiful country! AND our weekend with Collins, Cameron and family was worth the 24 hours in the car!!

The highlight of our Seattle visit was the ordination of Jonah to the Aaronic Priesthood by Collins. Jonah bore a strong testimony in Sacrament meeting. He chose the third Article of Faith as his favorite Article of Faith:

"We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel."

Jonah said he knew that Jesus made it possible for us to be saved even though we make mistakes. I too am very grateful for the blessings of the "good-news" that in Christ is the power to redeem and to justify. He truly is "the way, the truth and the life" and it is gratifying to see the seeds of faith planted in the hearts of our grandchildren.





Following church we shared an enjoyable dinner with Collin's brother Kieth, his wife Lisa and their family. Cameron was excited to serve her favorite pie "Fruits of the Forest" for dessert with us. It was especially good to be surrounded by so many beautiful children. Cousins are a blessing!

Jonah Turns 12 Fun

Yesterday we made the 12 hour drive to Kirkland, Washington and arrived just in time for cake. What can I say - We love ice cream cake and it was yummmmmy. We kidded Jonah that we would come a long ways for a good piece of cake. In truth though, we feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to spend some birthday time with Jonah. How we love this boy!

Great smile!
Natural wit.
Handsome.
Helpful.
First Class Scout.
"Faith in God" recipient.
Appreciates a good hike and loves to camp.
Good student.
Great work ethic.
Loves his brothers and sister.
Loves sports - may we say he is a natural athlete with a willingness to apply himself - great combination.

We are so grateful for a wonderful grandson.

I am grateful to live free!

While very disappointed in the vote for Obama/Biden, I am nonetheless ready to sustain our new president and am committed to do all I can to continue to work for freedom's cause. I pray for President Elect Obama's wisdom in choosing his cabinet and the sharpening of his vision as he faces the great challenges of our times. I am saddened and disgusted at the hateful treatment of President Bush these past eight years and want no part in such a shameful demeanor towards our new President to be.

President Bush has given much to this country. He saw us through devastating times and in spite of the tremendous financial hits of 9-11 and Katrina, he and his cabinet have somehow managed to keep us a float. I find that remarkable. I wish Congress would have responded favorably to him five years ago when he urged them to intervene in the looming Fannie Mae/Freddi Mac catastrophe. The arrogant lack of response I lay directly at the feet of Congress.

I am most profoundly grateful that President Bush has led the defense of this country in such a way as to keep us free of further terrorist attacks. Looking at history preceding his presidency, this too is remarkable. In prior years we endured one terrorist attack after another. President Bush also led the cause of freedom for the Iraqi people. I pray they will continue to grow in the light of this freedom. It is good to have the possibility of an true ally in the Middle East. Thank-you President Bush and Laura for your noble leadership. Thank-you for your faithfulness to the God of this free land. It was not about what would make you "popular." It was about what was right.

How grateful I am for the success of Propositions 8 in California and 102 in Arizona protecting marriage. For me this is not about wanting to prevent the freedom of others to live as they choose. It has nothing to do with hate. It is about my deepest held convictions and my freedom of religion. I would be first in line to defend gay couples' civil rights, however marriage is a religious institution and the family the very pillar of our society. The need for this protection of marriage was for me the greater issue in this campaign cycle. Children are entitled to having a father and a mother. That is how a child is created and the protection of the natural family is critical to the strength of a society. Parents must be free to teach children according to the values of their faith. Again this is not a hateful belief. Things are not always perfect in this world but still we bear responsibility to do all we can to promote the welfare of children. I only pray that with the changes to the Supreme Court that are sure to come, the voice of the people will not be overthrown.

God bless America. God bless our fellow citizens and God bless President Elect Obama and all those elected and appointed to serve.

Wisdom from the pen of Thomas Jefferson

"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them."

"In questions of power then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."

"A wise and frugal government . . . shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall have them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government."

The Girl's a Champ!

You Go Girl! (Alyssa is wearing the blue mawashi)
Hey - You gotta celebrate a victory earned!!

Terrorist Moski Toe apprended sneaking across border ...

S.W.A.T. agent Miss Alyss was quick to pick up on the devilish look in the eye of Moski Toe as he attempted to cross the Canadian Border into Montana. Commendation for bravery in the line of duty is sure to be awarded in a special ceremony this evening at the Idaho Falls YSA Halloween festivities.

We are free to choose . . .

Freedom is a God given right to every one of his children. Sadly many are denied freedom in this world where evil at times prevails. Those who are blessed to live in freedom bear a sacred responsibility to their brothers and sisters around the world. We must live gratefully by promoting and defending the liberties of those who yearn for it. One of the most touching pictures from the past couple of years showed Iraqi women holding up their blue ink stained fingers. Their faces radiated with the joy of a personal vote. I am deeply thankful for the young men and women who have stepped up and volunteered in the fight for the cause of freedom.

May we do our part this coming Tuesday by informed voting with an eye on the ramifications of that vote. The Supreme Court hangs in the balance. The free market that has brought prosperity to this country and blessed us with the wealth to make a difference around the world through our charity and defense of the freedoms of others is also in peril. The right to worship according to the dictates of our own conscience is at risk. God bless us as we exercise our rights. God bless the USA and may we continue to be a blessing to those who only dare to dream of the freedoms we hold dear.

The rest of the wedding pics . . .

http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1439446&id=643121783

Don't you just love a Wedding?

With all of the commotion of Alyssa coming home from Portugal September 26th, we left our camera in the car for Jaelyn and Leslie's wedding at the Salt Lake Temple that morning. Thankfully we now have some pictures to remember the beautiful day.





Jaelyn and Leslie Petrie













The Petrie Family minus Jarius who we really missed. Somehow I think Jordan was feeling the joy of the day. How we love this dear family.

The wedding party gathered on the steps of the temple.

Yummy Cake

Some of you have requested the recipe for this yummy Appalachian Blackberry Cake that I made for mom's birthday.

1/2 c shortening*
2 c sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp allspice
2 & 1/2 c sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 c blackberries, drained juice reserved.**

*I used butter instead of shortening to be a little healthier, and we used a blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry mix of frozen fruit. **Since it was frozen and not canned, I boiled the fruit a little bit to make it cooked like canned fruit would be. You can probably use fresh fruit as well--we just couldn't find any.

Cream together shortening, sugar, and egg yolks until smooth. Add dry ingredients. (It will be a VERY dry batter at this point. It looked like powder actually. Don't stress.) Add berries. Mix well. This is when it is moister. The berries are the main liquid in the batter, some berries will be mushed since they are cooked. If it is not moist enough, add some of the reserved juice. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes

There was a 7 minute icing suggested for the cake, but it was super sweet and detracted from the cakey goodness. I would serve it with either a vanilla or butter pecan ice cream instead. It's got a dry coffee cake/crumb cake kinda texture, so it would probably make a good breakfast bread/cake as well.

Thanks for the help with the questions Cam!!
Love ya from Alyssa

P.S. - This was genuinely one of the best cakes I have ever tasted. I would not have it for breakfast but you know me - DO YOUR BODY A FAVOR - LESS SUGAR!! I would enjoy this cake with fresh whipped cream. Mom :o)

I've had a wonderful day.

Thanks to my dear family and friends. I am blessed.

Proud Mama Bragging Rights

Our son-in-law Steve is known as "Vorian" in the Linux world. For those of you who do not know, Linux is an open source operating system that many use instead of Windows. Currently Steve is working in a team with five others on a new release of Kubuntu due out October 30th. The Machine Crusade added to my blog list is his "Vorian" blog. For fun you can Google "Vorian" and see what comes up.

Take Time to be Holy

I awoke early this cold, snowy Sabbath day and turned on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for a little warmth. They sang an Irish folk hymn written in 1882 by William D. Longstaff. How I love beautiful expressions of faith and this hymn reflects the song of my heart. God bless your Sabbath and fit each of you for the weeks ahead:

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

I love America!

I am disheartened by the power of money and celebrity in this country. We have allowed them to define good men and women in ways that are destructive. At the same time many fall in step as they promote those who will advance their special interests.

This promotion is clever. Good people are not willing to know substantively what stands the candidate will take. Some just want to "love and be loved". We allow ourselves to be carefully led down a path to the destruction of our liberties and freedoms.

There are three candidates from the two major parties in the race for President and Vice President who seem to me to be very honest. The fourth has been protected and covered for - promoted heavily by many in Hollywood and the liberal media - those who "really know what is best" for our country. There is no doubt who they want for our President. Are we not painfully aware at how these same people degrade and demoralize our values and liberties.

We can choose substance over celebrity!

I Remember: Blast from the Past

My niece JoDee just experienced one of those near panic situations with a missing three year old. Of course the child was enjoying herself thoroughly while momma was desperately searching. Reading her experience brought back a memory from my
young mom days.

When Carey was very young she seemed to disappear. I had been folding clothes on the kitchen table and had walked back to the bedrooms to put things away. When I came to the front of the house she was gone.

I looked everywhere in the house twice over and called for her repeatedly. To that point she had not been able to open the front door but all I could think was possibly she had figured it all out and was gone.

After what seemed an eternity I called Claigh at work and mobilized the few neighbors who were at home in the middle of the day to find her. One had seen an unfamiliar beat up van drive through the neighborhood.

When I went inside to call the police, I first knelt down in the bedroom to plead with Heavenly Father to help me know what to do. As I got up and walked down the hall to the phone, I had a strong impression to open the closet door. This was a small linen closet, shelves filled with linens and packed full. I opened the door and there she was with her hand on the inside door knob, big blue eyes looking up with glee. Really there was just enough room for her body to stand upright smashed between the door and the shelves AND she had been still there for so long! Carey was thrilled at her "hide and seek" success and I was tearfully relieved.

Children are a worry and a joy.

Back home from Salt Lake City and Ready to Get Busy -

We had a whirlwind couple of days in Salt Lake City and I am definitely ready to get on top of things here on the home front. It was good to meet two more of Alyssa's former missionary companions, Emily Olsen and Christina Early who are now attending BYU. We also got to do a delivery to Arminda who moved to Salt Lake City from Portugal recently. She and her husband Tom are expecting a baby girl in February. What a delightful woman! And her two daughters Vanessa and Nadia are every bit as beautiful as their mother. I marvel at how well they are learning English. Thanks for the bolo Arminda. A visit to the Petrie's was delightful as usual with yummy soup and bread and fresh peaches to boot. How we love this family. Unexpectedly Great Aunt Jessie and Kathy hadn't left for Canada yet and so we were blessed to have a little more time with them. (The time at the wedding was limited.)

Amazingly we did accomplish all of the "need to's" and now Alyssa has her temple clothes, a cute new outfit and new skirt and we were able to run all of the errands (which were many including purchases and gift deliveries) for those left behind in Portugal. Thankfully Zion's Bank was able to do currency conversion and we were able to find exactly the shoes one of the sisters wanted Alyssa to buy for her. Alyssa was particularly happy to find a Hindi bible for a friend whose current bible had a mix of Hindi and Sanskrit which made it difficult for her to understand. Now Mandeep will have a bible in her native tongue to enjoy. Alyssa was also able to get a Hindi Book of Mormon for a man who is Hindu that she met on one of her flights home. We covered a lot of ground for a 24 hour period of time. We were grateful Claigh was also in Salt Lake for business so we had a nice hotel room to crash in.

Sadly, even though I did remember to bring the camera, I forgot to get it out and take pictures. :o( There was just too much packed into a very short time but the memories are wonderful.

Will we ever catch up on sleep?

It was an exhausting weekend and yet absolutely wonderful! Saturday was full with preparations for the Sabbath. We had to rush out and get Alyssa something to wear for church as her luggage has yet to arrive. Thank-goodness for Kohls! Early that evening Alyssa and I went to the General Relief Society meeting and "Chocolate Extravaganza." It was wonderful to hear President Uctdorf speak. He is a favorite of Alyssa's. The wide variety of chocolate treats was incredible.

Later that night the door bell rang and at our bidding, Alyssa went to answer it. Surprise! There was Alyssa's former missionary companion, Shannon Egbert from Preston, Idaho. Shannon spent Saturday night with us. The girls stayed up late talking and playing "beauty shop." Shannon is a marvel at doing hair. Alyssa now has a cute cut and highlights. Once again we were short on sleep but what a way to go!

Alyssa, Claigh and I were at the Stake Center at 7:45 for Alyssa's report to the High Council. A young elder from the stake had just returned from the Arizona Mesa Spanish speaking mission so we got to hear two reports. It just doesn't get any better. Following the High Council Meeting, Claigh and Alyssa headed home to pick up Shannon for church and I headed for my class room to set up for Sunday School.

In Sacrament meeting, Alyssa spoke on obedience, faith and power. She shared how the three are interconnected. One of her earliest experiences in Portugal strengthened her resolve to be faithfully obedient. Alyssa did extensive work with members who were less active in church attendance. This was a work she truly loved. In her first week in Portugal she and her companion had been working hard all day looking for a member who had moved. It was getting close to the time for going home and they were tired and had been unsuccessful in any way for the day. There is a seven point process they needed to complete to find the person they were looking for. It would have been very easy to just stop and cut the day a bit short but they chose obedience and decided to work till the last minute. As a result, while they did not find the person they were looking for, they found Alice who was very excited to see them and wanted to hear the gospel message. Being new to Portugal, Alyssa felt very inadequate in speaking the language but she found that the Lord strengthened her enough to meet the need. For that few moments she was able to communicate with Alice. From this her testimony was strengthened in the truth that power comes through obedience and faith. This set the tone for the rest of her mission. She also noted that sometimes obedience is a result of faith and sometimes faith is a result of obedience. However, the promised blessing is "power."

"And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them;" 1 Nephi 17:3

Alyssa and Claigh left following Sacrament Meeting to see Shannon off and I headed to teach my Sunday School class. I was so exhausted I wasn't sure that I could put thoughts together coherently. Earlier in the week there were those who suggested I could get a substitute for that day but I felt that if I was going to be there, it was my responsibility. Thanks to the teachings of my mom and dad, I just couldn't feel right about not being where I was committed to be. The result - a further testimony of that which Alyssa had spoken in church. That 45 minutes was truly the brightest of my day. I was very alert and able to present as I had prepared. Comments from the class contributed to the teaching. (We have a remarkable ward.) As the amen to the closing prayer was said, fatigue washed over me again.

"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." Moroni 7:33 (another scripture from Aly's talk)

I know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of our every day needs and is ever ready to respond to the prayers of his children. I know the Savior lives. I know the power of healing in his wings. I am grateful for the gift of the Spirit. I am grateful for young people who put the world aside to serve and love whomever the Lord calls them to minister to. I am thankful for Alyssa's mission. I am thankful to have her home again.

She's Home!

Yes that is right! Alyssa landed in the Pocatello airport last night at 9:45 after 24 hours of travel through Germany, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City. The amazing thing is she looks great! Imagine - no sleep and looking fine. (As Hoops and YoYo would say - Yum!) While Aly made it, her bags never even got to Atlanta. She had many gifts from Portuguese friends packed in the lost bags and that has been her main concern. However - good news - they have just now located them and they will be in Idaho Monday. Too bad we will be in Salt Lake again on Monday. :o) We are a very happy family.

Jaelyn and Leslie's wedding in the Salt Lake Temple was a wonderful start to yesterday. Claigh and I felt blessed to share in the whole experience. And - we got to hug Cathy and Aunt Jessie who we haven't seen in far too long and Randy who I haven't seen in for even longer! It was wonderful to meet Randy's wife, Debbie and Wendy's daughter Charlene and her husband Cory. Jenna, Brad and children are a beautiful family. Jyllian and Joel are as wonderful as ever. Terry and JoAnn - fabulous. BUT the best of all were Jaelyn and Leslie. This is definitely a match made in heaven.

Celebrate Maxwell

Jump and Jive - Maxwell's Five!
Sara and Jared's youngest!
Dark Blond Curls
Blue Eyes
A smile as bright as his mother's
Great Laugh
Good Reader
Gentle Heart - Giving Spirit
Loves to tell jokes
Seth's buddy
One year till kindergarten -
Oh my - then what will mom do?

Happy Birthday Maxwell Isaiah Anderson!

Maxwell Fun