14 December 2013 Benji's Birthday

Look at that cool t-shirt!  And look at that awesome 9-year-old!  Grandpa and Grandma hope you have a fun Lego party today.  We're very proud of you and miss you so much!  

Here's some fun facts about Benji from his mom, Missy.

Benji is turning 9. Hip Hip Hooray!  He LOVES Legos!  He loves playing wii games when his mom lets him. But if he can't do electronics, then he chooses his Legos. He is even having a Lego birthday party. 

Benji loves playing with his friends at recess. His favorite subject in school... besides lunch and recess is Math.

He currently shares a room with Brigham. He is a good big brother.

He still doesn't like to eat much food, although he loves pretzels (still) and gold fish crackers.  He doesn't eat peanut butter as much as he used to. He has a friend at school that is allergic to peanut butter.

Benji is enjoying 3rd grade. He likes his teacher. His class is overflowing at 34 students.

Benji just received his wolf badge in scouts this last week. He has 3 arrow points as well and 6 or 7 belt loops. Way to go Benji. He'll be moving up into bears on his birthday.

His mom and dad are very proud of him and the accomplishments he makes as well as his small successes trying new foods.

He continues to read well and enjoys reading.

We love you Benji!

14 October 2013 Camilla's Birthday

Happy Birthday Camilla!  5 years old!

How we miss our sweet little Millie girl.  Grandpa and Grandma wish you a happy happy day and we can't wait to come home and squeeze you!  

Shauntell shared this about Camilla.

Camilla is very energetic and has lots of fun climbing our sycamore tree, taking a gymnastics class, and riding her little bike in our driveway.  She is best friends with Jaden and loves to tell him what to do and have him follow her around.  She is very interested in making things with paper lately - cutting, drawing, writing notes, folding, and giving her creations to her family.  She started preschool this fall and has made lots of new friends, including a boy she "might marry one day."  Camilla also loves anything pink, princess-y, or sparkly.

Now promise that you won't get married before Grandpa ad Grandma come home!  We love you, Millie!

 

3 October 2013 Evalynn Sydney Partridge's Birth Day

Happy Birthday Evalynn Sydney Partridge  -   New Arrival

Number 22 arrived safe and sound!  It's hard to be so far away...but we know little Evalynn is in good hands!  Here's some details from her daddy Joe.  Congratulations or as they say here "felicidades!"  

Shauntell went into labor around 11:00 PM on Oct 2. We arrived at the hospital at midnight and she was already fully dilated and ready to get that baby out! She got an epidural and then we relaxed for a bit while we waited for the doctor. When he arrived it didn't take long. He broke her water, she pushed a couple times and that was all that was needed! Evalynn was born at  1:40  am.

21 September 2013 Braxton's Birthday

Happy Birthday Braxton  -  3 Years Old!

We miss Braxton coming to visit us in our room, his smile and the pattering of his little feet.  We can't believe he is 3.  Here's some info from his mother, Tessa.

Now for Braxton!  He is a joy and a light in our family.  He is speaking well and is always trying to figure things out.  He has a vibrant imagination and is always chasing monsters and riding the deer in our back yard. He is a singing soul, often making up songs, and starting to sing real ones too.  His favorite made up one is "__________ loves me" and he sings everyone's name that loves him to what ever tune, he always adds Connor (Phelps) & Jacob (Baker). Our last foster daughter asked me "why is Braxton so famous around here?",as we were walking to school.  Real songs- He likes Jingle Bells, I love to see the Temple, & Give said the Little Stream. He also likes the radio and says "that's my song" or "that's Katie's song" after each one.  He loves horses, and is always pointing them out.  Many times when we get in the car he says "let's go to Thanksgiving and ride the horses".  He has started Joy School.  He is also taking a dance class and has learned to bow, leap, hop, and jump.  He loves to bear his testimony whenever he sees the microphone in the primary room.  He has even born it by himself in Sacrament meeting.  We cannot believe he is already three.  He actually weighs 2 lbs less than at 2 years old, but he is 4 inches taller.  He loves Kris being here and feels very protective of him.  He still loves and misses grandpa and grandma and tries to talk to every picture of them.  

23 August 2013 Rachel's Birthday

                                               

                                              Happy Birthday Rachel  -  2 Years old!

Rachel, you are adorable!  And growing up way too fast!  We love you! Here's some fun info about our sweet Rachel from her Mommy Emily.

Rachel is such a pleasure to be around.  She is helpful and kind.  She loves to share- if you ask nicely.  She loves to do anything, and everything, her big sister does.  Though her verbal ability is very limited, she communicates very well.  With about 2 dozen spoken words and one dozen signed words, and many points and actions, her mommy usually knows exactly what she wants me to know.  

 
Rachel's favorite color is Blue.  Her favorite Primary song is The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.  Her favorite bedtime song is I'm Bringing Home my Baby Bumblebee.  Rachel calls herself RayRay, her sister NaNa and always has a smile on her face when she is with NaNa.  
 
Happy Birthday Rachel!!!

9 August 2013 Ashley's Birthday

Happy Birthday Ashley!  8 years old!

Here is Mayelin Torres, Ashley's Birthday Friend.
She got all dressed up in her Sunday best for our visit.  We showed her a picture of all of our grandchildren.  She was amazed!

She loved Ashley's letter and tried to say the words in English.  It made her laugh when she read that Ashley liked to stay in her PJ's all day.

She was excited with her gifts.  We got her some things that we knew Ashley would like.  Markers, glue, paper and

playdough.  She liked that a lot!

Here's her Abuella (grandmother) who's birthday is today, the same as Ashleys.  We're glad we made enough brownies for everyone.  Her cousins came over to join the fun.

Mayelin (pronounced Myjaleen) was so sweet and happy that we visited her today.

Here's the Torres family with her mother on the right and her grandmother on the left and Mayelin and her cousins in the middle.

Mayelin's street.  Notice the colorful houses. They love to paint their houses yellow or pink or orange.

Like all of the children we have visited, Mayelin loved her card with Ashley's picture on it and her little letter and drawing inside.  She will treasure that!  Thank you Ashley for sharing your birthday with a new friend in the Dominican Republic!

3 August 2013 Alexia's BIrthday

Happy Birthday Alexia!  5 Years Old!

Grandpa and Grandma visited Alexia's new friend Stefani Suero and her family tonight.  She was very excited to have us come and bring her gifts for her birthday which is coming in 1 week.  She will be 5 like Alexia on August 10th.   

Here is Stefani with Grandma and Sister Ewell, Stefani was very happy to see Alexia's picture and her drawing inside.

And she LOVED her gifts.  A coloring book and crayons, glitter glue and stickers.  It was so cute to hear her say "Winnie the Pooh" and "Minnie Mouse" and she named all the Disney Princesses on her stickers.

She gave Grandma a big "embrazo!"  Stefani has the cutest short curly hair.











Stefani was delighted to have some chocolate...a brownie.  Yum!  

What a sweet family!  Stefani's older sister and her husband just got sealed in the Temple today in Santo Domingo.

Stefani especially liked twirling her gift bag!  She was so excited to have birthday presents from her new friend in America.  She said "gracias" a lot!

She named all the colors of the glitter glue...in Spanish and English!  Grandma especially liked that.

 A big hug for Grandpa, too.  What a sweet little soon to be 5-year-old.  Thank you Lexi for sharing your special day with Stefani from the Dominican Republic.  You have a new friend!

Videos coming tomorrow to Dropbox.

2 August 2013 Ariana's Birthday

Happy Birthday Ariana!  4 years old!

Grandpa and Grandma visited the Valdez family this afternoon. This is Carolina, Yenesis's mother. This is the home of Carolina's parents.

 Yenesis is 4 years old like Ariana.  She was all dressed up for our visit in her favorite blue dress.

Grandma gave Ariana's cute card to Yenesis and she loved it.  She was very excited to open her regalos (gifts).

She giggled when she opened them.  She was very excited to have a little tea set and a Strawberry Shortcake doll.

 She's a happy, sweet little girl...like Ariana!

Her aunt Mariangel told her to pose like Ariana did in her picture!

She liked her brownie, too!

Here's the Valdez family.  Yenesis with her mother behind her and her grandparents and her mother's sister Mariangel who is 12 years old.

Grandpa is saying goodbye.  They were such a nice family and we loved visiting them on Ariana's special day.

We have some fun videos to share in dropbox...coming soon.  Ariana sang the cutest song about jelly beans and ice cream.  We showed to Yenesis and she loved it.  Thank you Ariana for sharing your birthday with your new friend Yenesis in the Dominican Republic!

18 July, 2013 Daniel's Birthday

Happy Birthday Daniel!  12-years old!

Grandpa and Grandma will be visiting your birthday friend Anderson tomorrow night.  We'll take pictures and videos to share.  Have a super fun day!  We love you!

Here is thee sweet humble home of the Ceralta Saldias family. 

Grandpa gave Anderson Daniel's card with his picture and letter.  Grandma loves Google Translate!  She could write Daniels's words in Spanish for Anderson.    

Anderson and his mom and twin sisters, Melin and Esmarlin.  They were so happy to have us visit them.

The girls loved having their pictures taken...of course!

Anderson really liked his ball.  He said "thank you" in English several times.  We think he'll be surprised to find out his pink ball (rosado pelota) is really bright purple in the sunlight!   Very Caribbean! 

What a special young man Anderson is.  His birthday was in March.  He loves being a deacon and Daniel told him how excited he is to become a deacon on Sunday.

Of course some of the neighbor girls wanted their picture taken too.

Visiting this sweet family was a wonderful experience for Grandpa and Grandma.  It reminded Grandpa so much of his mission long ago in Mexico.  We walked down a little dirt road lined with tiny houses and children playing in the street.  It was night time so the videos are a little dark but hopefully you can get the feeling that we had visiting Anderson.  Thank you Daniel for sharing your 12th Birthday with Anderson here in the Dominican Republic. Videos coming in dropbox.  

15 July 2013 Cameron's Birthday

                                          

                                          Happy Birthday Cameron - 3 Years old!

What a happy boy!  We love you Cameron!  Here's some fun stuff about Cameron from his mommy, Becca.

Cameron has been so excited to turn three! He just knows that a bunch of things are going to magically happen at age three. He'll be able to pump his own legs while swinging, he'll stop having accidents in his Cars undies, he'll be able to go potty all by himself, get dressed by himself, etc. We're still working on some of those, but he's progressing.

Cameron loves to play with Alexia. He follows her around all day and loves doing whatever she's doing! He loves to play hide-and-seek, especially. And he LOVES to play with water. In the tub, in the sink, outside, at the dinner table...you name it, if it involves water, he's there!

Cameron likes nursery and can't wait to be in Primary with "Lessie" next year. He loves singing the ABC's, and I Am a Child of God. He loves Cheetos and fruit snacks - who doesn't? He adores fruit, especially oranges, watermelon and strawberries. But, his favorite food group is the frosting food group! He's sure his daddy's boy!

We sure love you, Cameron! Happy Birthday!

5 July 2013 Andrew's Birthday

Happy Birthday Andrew!  1 Year Old!

How we miss our tiny ones!  We're looking forward to getting reacquainted in 8 months!  Here's some fun details about Andy from his mommy, Becca.  

Andrew has been walking for about a month now. He can go up and down stairs, climb up on the kitchen chairs, climb into the tub, and he gets into everything! His favorite things to get into that he shouldn't are: toilets, garbages, and kitchen cupboards. He also loves pulling books off our bookshelves. Maybe he'll grow up loving reading like the rest of us!

Andy loves eating what everyone else is eating. He loves pasta, and rice, and most things mommy makes. Still working on meat, but he's getting the hang of it. And, since he has 8 teeth, he can eat chunks of apples, and chew on carrots pretty well, too! His favorite (non-dessert) thing is graham crackers, or chocolate animal crackers.

Andy adores his older brother and sister. He loves to play "monster" with them. Which is just them standing by each other saying "roar!" he gets into it and yells right back and it's so cute watching them giggle together!

Andrew loves his daddy. He gets really excited when he hears the garage door open in the evening. And his latest talent is waving. He loves to say goodnight or goodbye with an enthusiastic wave and smile.

We sure love Andy. Such a smiley, happy kid. Happy Birthday, Buddy!

29 June 2013 Sammy's Birthday

Happy Birthday Samuel!  14 years old!

We had a nice drive today away from the city to a little placed called Los Cocos to visit a 14-year-old boy also named Samuel.  

Here's the little street where Samuel lives.














Here's their cute little casa.  That's a mango tree in their yard....yum!

Samuel was happy to see a picture of a new friend Samuel in the United States.

This Sam is a little bit taller than our Sam.

He like the game we gave him...Spanish Parcheesi.

He'll play it with the Elders for sure and his mother and grandmother.  His mother has been less active for a while and is preparing to come back to church.  

Samuel is going to be baptized on July 13th.  He is very excited about that!

We shared some brownies and had a very nice visit with Samuel's family.  He's a great young man who's looking forward to receiving the Priesthood.

Thank you Sammy for your sweet words about what the Priesthood means to you, and for sharing your birthday with another Sammy from the Dominican Republic.

Watch for videos in drop box!