Twenty Two Reasons I Love Danielle....

Happy Birthday Today Danielle....

Here are 22 reasons I love you....

1. Your eyes twinkle when you smile.
2. You listen when I talk.
3. You call me everyday, sometimes twice.
4. You have a strong testimony.
5. You always Choose The Right.
6. You love all the same things I love.
7. You love old movies, especially musicals.
8. You dance beautifully.
9. You sing beautifully.
10. Your motivated.
11. You care about other people.
12. Your sensitive to others feelings.
13. You made me a Grandma. (Thanks Tyler!)
14. You love to eat.
15. Your a great conversationalist.
16. Your always there for me.
17. You cry in movies, (and tv shows and sometimes just because....)
18. Your smart.
19. Your fun.
20. You are a great daughter
21. You are a great wife.
22. You are a wonderful mother.

I wish I could be there today with you to celebrate but know that I am thinking of you and hope your day is WONDERFUL!!!
Thanks for 22 years filled with wonderful memories. You make me so proud and I am so impressed with the person you are.

Quarter of a Century

That's right....Jordan turned 25 on Sunday. Jordan has been a joy from the moment he was born. He has an infectious smile and a charismatic personality. He is always happy and makes everyone around feel happy to be around him. He loves sports and has since the minute he could hold and throw a ball. He's competitive and driven and slightly injury prone....(knock on wood). He's adventurous and fun loving. He love's a crowd and the minute he meets a stranger they are a friend. He is accepting and non-judgemental and loves life.








Friday I couldn't stand the thought of not seeing him on his birthday so within a couple of hours I decided I was going to drive to Utah and spend the day with him. I'm so glad I did.... We had a great time. I went to his Single's ward---(oh yeah, they are all the same). We took a Sunday nap, watched a movie. I fixed a big dinner for 12 people. We drove the Alpine loop in his jeep. We went on a little hike. We stopped and visited Grandma, Aunt Pauline, Brittany, Cambree and Gage, had cake, and played some games. He makes me feel young. Thanks Jordan for letting me share your special day.

EMREE

Danielle and Emree were here the first week of September for Whitney's wedding. Emree was six months old. These are just a few of my favorite pictures from that week. I'm missing them both ALOT!!!!

Blast from the past....

This last week the studio put on our version of High School Musical. It was GREAT fun and such a success. I was so proud of all the kids that participated. Kenzie played Mrs. Darbus. She is the ODD drama teacher in the play and we needed some costumes. Thankfully we have a friend that saves EVERYTHING! (Why? we have no idea....) All of Kenzie's wonderful outfits came from ValaRee Roylance. (Thanks VAL!)

Fifty Reasons we love you DAD.

Friday was Reid's Fiftieth Birthday. He is in harvest so he had to get up early and work. We (Kenzie, Easton and I) had two shows of High School Musical to put on. Reid spent the afternoon getting beat at golf by his good friend David. We had some friends and family over for dinner. It was casual and informal....just the way Reid likes thinks. Danielle had all the kids write their Top Ten Reasons they love their dad. I'm just going to share my favorite two from each of them:

Jordan

1. Optimism: You always look on the bright side of things and are never worried about the bumps that may come in the road, because they are solvable. You can always get where you are going if you have the right attitude and work ethic and you do. Things will always turn out right, and if they don't it was how it was supposed to be so don't worry!!!

2. Humility: Even though you may have everything going for you in the world, you are very humble about it and carry yourself through your day to day talks in a very humble way.

Danielle

1. I love your work ethic. You know the meaning of hard work and working for others. You have always worked hard for our family, for our ward, for our stake and for anyone who has needed your help.

2. I love your gently ways. I will never forget the endless princess Danielle stories and the songs you would sing to me when you tucked me into bed.

Quinn

1. Dad Power...No Matter how good or fast or smart we are as kids...Dan can and WILL win!

2. Missionary Minded...Always trying to teach, serve and preach the gospel to others!!!

Mackenzie

1. I love when dad whistles. It announces his presence and if I ever have a bad thought or heard a bad song I have dad's little whistle tunes in my head and get it out ASAP.

2. His ginormous hugs. One hug from dad makes me feel SO much better.

Easton

1. He is very strong in the church.

2. He is always there when I need him.

And I don't think I could post this without a few of my favorite things:

1. I love how Reid looks on the bright side of things. He can make anything appear fun and enjoyable and that he wants to be there. Matter of fact the worse the job the happier he seems about it.

2. His spirituality. His testimony is very strong and his conscience even stronger. He always desires to do the right thing and he helps me want to be better.

3. His looks. He's tall, dark and handsome. Although we maybe getting old, to me he gets better looking every day.

4. His work ethic. He works hard, He works long. He provides well for me and our family and for that I am very grateful.

Happy 5oth Birthday Reid. May there be MANY more!! and may we spend them together!

Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve (A Second Round)

Quinn is somewhat of a procrastinator and VERY stubborn. He refused to fill out his college applications before he left on his mission. He'd been recruited by a couple of small schools to play basketball, one over in Seattle and another a long ways away and I wasn't too keen on the idea. At the time he wanted to go there. I wanted him to go to BYU. So neither of us did anything about it and off he went. Well time got away from us and it was time to apply SOMEWHERE before he got home so he could step into college in January. With help from Danielle, we got his applications into BYU, BYU Hawaii, and BYU Idaho. Missionary work is his top priority right now and he told me to apply anywhere he thought would be best for him.

His dad and I are BYU fans in every way. WE both went there. WE met there and fell in love. It is a GREAT education for an even better price, but its not particularly easy to get in, especially BYU Provo. The average GPA is about a 3.85 with an ACT score of about 27.4. We sent in the applications and crossed our fingers. Well the news is in---Quinn was accepted to BYU, BYU Hawaii and BYU Idaho. He said the choice is mine? Oh, so many decisions. I am open to any and all ADVICE....

Four Generations of Service....

I have been thinking alot lately about our missionary Quinn. I have been getting in his college applications and planning his return home. We got a date of November 12th for his return. It seems like forever still but I know it will be here before I know it. It's been an honor to have another son serve a mission for The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The knowledge and experiences he has had have been once in a lifetime and although it is so hard to send them away, its all worth it.

My grandfather (my father's father) J. Delos Jewkes served a mission to South Africa. In those days missionary went without purse or script and each night they depended upon the kindness of strangers to house and feed them. The war broke out while he was gone and for some reason he was not allowed to return. He served faithfully for four years. A few years later after his return his left the church and didn't return to full activity until he was about 79.

My father, J. Paul Jewkes also served in South Africa. He traveled on a boat to get there which took almost a month. He was drafted in the army first, served his time there and then served a mission for the church. My mother met him about a month before he left and she faithfully wrote and waited for him. He bought her diamond in the mines of South Africa and sent it home to her through the mail.

Reid served in St. Louis, Missouri, (the same mission his father Thurn J. Baker) served in. His mother died about three weeks after he had left on his mission. He faithfully served missing the letters and packages of a sweet mother.

Quinn is serving in Fiji, Suva. He has served his entire mission in the country of Vanuatu. WE anxiously look forward to November 12th.