Happy Birthday Hays

Here we are again celebrating another birthday, this time for another wonderful new daughter in our family...Hays!  Happy Birthday Hays!  We celebrated with her and Caleb by going out to dinner to Cheesecake Factory and hearing all about how these two newlyweds are building their lives together.  These two are just amazing in every way...working, school, church, etc.  Things just seem to work out for them, but that's probably because of their "get it done" attitudes and optimist!  We love having you a part of our crazy big family and love seeing the amazing wife and joy you are to Caleb.  We hope its been a wonderful birthday for you...we sure love you!

Happy Birthday Bentley

Well after being away on travel for a week, we returned home with the birthday dinner catching up to do...starting with Bentley!  We celebrated her birthday late with her and Cal by taking them to dinner at North Italia -- a nearby restaurant.  We enjoyed a nice evening, visit and meal with these two wonderful kids of ours -- leaving the grandkids at home so we could just spend time with them and to hear about all they've got going on...and its a lot!  Bentley is an amazing wife and mother, and some how manages to keep up with everything while keeping her hope neatly decorated, raising two outstanding kids and pursuing a degree!  You're simply awesome Bentley and we hope this has been a great birthday for you!  We sure love you...

Frankfurt Business Trip

After losing 3 administrative assistants at work (due to them leaving for school, getting married or having babies), I asked Lexine if she wanted to try that role now that Caleb & Jonah were soon graduating or at starting their senior year soon.  She accepted on the terms that this role wouldn't prevent her from traveling with me now that our kids were finally getting to the age that she could do that.  We agreed and she has been my traveling business companion ever since -- which has worked out well because that's where a lot of her income goes, to purchasing her flights with me!  Well, 2023 has sure turned out to be the year of travel, with the grand finale starting with our trip to Frankfurt Germany this week. It was kind of a last minute trip, as one of good friends we've worked with for years invited to meet her new company and see their capabilities.  Ever since Covid, suppliers have been back ordered or have disappeared, so in effort to have a redundant supplier, we felt it was in our best interest to meet with them.  We actually met with a couple different potential suppliers while we were there which was really nice! But as usual, Lexine and I like to explore the surrounding area and nearby temples, which was much nicer than we expecting going into this trip.  We got to ride on the autobahn up to 231 kph! As well as the name of the laugh at the exit ramp names -- Aus Fahrt! ;-) We visited the town square which is about the only sight seeing area to see in Frankfurt since it was utterly destroyed during World War II.  And we also visited a couple different ward buildings and the Frankfurt temple.  We had wanted to attend church there, but we got to our hotel after flying all night, just about the time we would have needed to leave -- so we decided to take a much needed nap instead. All in all it was a great business trip and another adventure and place in this beautiful world to visit....but its always nice to return to our home, family and bed!  :-)

Ryder's Baby Blessing

It was a nice Sunday morning visiting Porter & Amy's ward for Ryder's baby blessing!  Lots of family turned out to be there for him, followed by a nice little brunch Amy put together afterwards at their home.  We sure love you Ryder...welcome to the family!  :-) 

Last Sevark Cabin Trip of the Season

This weekend we had Sadie & Leo with us while Bentley & Cal were out of town, so we decided to make it a cabin trip weekend!  Unfortunately as we were driving up there, just at the river the road was closed and we were forced to turn around, but then upon trying to find another route, we learned there was a big accident past Payson on the rim which had at least a 4 hour delay, so we turned back for home for Friday evening and Kami & Tim invited us over for pizzas -- which was fun for the cousins to play together.  But then Saturday morning we were up early and out the door to the cabin which ended up being a very nice time even though it was only 1 night.  We had some good rain and the kiddos did a lot of playing -- enough that they were tuckered out at night and on the drive home!  That's always a sign of a great time -- it was a fun weekend!

Welcoming Ryder to the Family

We've been waiting for days for Ryder to by born and even had a couple false alarms, so when Lexine and I took off to north Phoenix to stay a night at a Marriott before our free night certificate expired, we should have known that we were setting ourselves up for Ryder to come!  I spoke with Porter & Amy not long before we left and all seemed well, but by early Saturday morning, Porter was texting me that they were once again off to the hospital -- and a good thing they did, because he came in a hurry!  It was early Saturday morning, but we decided to leave our hotel to get down there to greet him!  Caleb & Hays beat us there so it was nice for all of us to be there with Porter & Amy.  Ryder is a nice looking baby...can't wait to see who he becomes and see his personality develop!  We love you Ryder!

Happy Birthday Cal!

With all our traveling, we were a little late celebrating Cal's birthday this year by taking him and Bentley out to dinner.  But we finally got home and were only a few days late.  Cal chose Sushi Neko and so we had a lovely dinner and visit with these two great kids of ours!  We sure love having you as a part of our crazy, large family and appreciate the great husband and father you are!  Happy birthday Cal!

CineEurope 2023 & Mediterranean Cruise

For the rest of June and most of the first week of July, Lexine and I spent in Spain, France & Italy since I had to be there for work at CineEurope 2023, then we had booked a 10-day Mediterranean cruise immediately after.  In fact, the show ended at noon and by 2pm we were boarding the ship...so it was a quick turn around.  The show was great and so good to reunited with so many friends and customers.  The cruise was equally great and much better the 2nd time around now that we knew what we were doing and how to get around.  My highlight of the trip was Pompeii and seeing the amazing ruins preserved there.  Something funny that happened is as we finished church and were just walking away from it, we ran into the Palmer's, members and friends from our Montelena ward before we moved.  What a surprise to run into someone you know in Spain -- what a small world in the gospel!  It was an excellent trip and time together with my Lexine as you can see from the pictures...