Happy Birthday Mom!

 

Rachel - My favorite thing about Mom is her steel trap memory.  I am amazed at how well she remembers everything she reads.  She is a fountain of knowledge.  I am also honored to be her daughter - that distinction carries with is a responsibility to honor her by living the best life I can but it also carries the perks of being related to such an amazing person.  I love how she is always there no matter what is going on.  I know she would drop everything if I needed her.  There is no better mother, friend, mentor, adviser and woman that I know.

Josh - My favorite thing about Mom is whenever we get into an argument,

it always turns into a discussion about the gospel and principals.
Some of my best learning opportunities come after an argument.

My next favorite thing about mom is her willingness to serve. As I'm
writing this sick in bed, mom is getting me Ginger ale and crackers
from the store. Mom is always willing and ready to serve and teach
others by her example. I love you mom

Kristin - I love mom because she has taught me almost everything I know. She is loved and admired by so many people and I am lucky enough to call her mom. She's the best thing that ever happened to my life! - Kristin

Natalie - Some of my favorite things about mom are:

1) How learned she is,

2) How in touch with the spirit she is,

3) When she tells a joke and is so proud of herself,

4) How hard she works for everyone.

Taylor - Abbi is one of the BEST  grandmas In the whole wide world! She teaches so much and sacrifices almost everything she has for all of the classes she teaches. YOU ROCK ABBI!!!!- Taylor

Dad - The Lovely Rebecca of Poway is my hero (actually heroine, but I'm afraid the uninitiated might think that I use heroin--for the record, I never have, and never will). She is truly one of the most remarkable people i have ever known. She is so REAL. She is, through and through, exactly who she portrays herself to be. Becky is a person of great personal virtue and integrity.

She often jokes that when we were first married I thought she was some backwoods country bumpkin, and I was a sophisticated easterner. Well, admittedly, there may have been a little bit of the European traveler in me, and I might have viewed her upbringing as "simpler" than mine, but little did I realize that I was marrying the female version of Elder James E. Talmage. She loves the Lord, loves his gospel, and loves learning about gospel truths and everything else under the sun that is of any significance. I definitely married way above myself, and I'm doing my very best to keep up with my beloved Becky. She never ceases to amaze me.

Jacob - While I should thank her more often than I do, Mom doesn't need thanks or praise to do what she needs to do. She's a woman of conviction and is always pushing full steam ahead towards her goals.

Elder Davies (AKA: Trevor): mom has raised mom has made me, without mom i would be nothing!  is that good?its a poem i made up right now?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TREVOR!

                                     T - tenacious, terrific, totally out of the ordinary, talented, teacher, teddy bear

                                     R - radical, radiant, role model, rugged, respectful, representing,

                                     E - excellent, energy, extreme anything, example, elder, electric

                                     V - very special, vague in his letters to Rachel ;), voracious appetite for brownies

                                     O - outstanding, out of this world, over the top, outrageous, obedient

                                     R - righteous, right, relaxed, rocks, remarkable, reckless, ready - rockin

If you asked each member of the family to tell you something special about Trevor they may write a book.  From the time he was a baby he captured our hearts and the heart of anyone who came in contact with him.  He is truly one in a million and a unique soul.  He is everything that is good and fun in our lives.  Plus he is serving a mission and bringing the joy of the gospel and the joy of Trevor into the lives of the people of Colorado.  While we miss him like crazy he has become larger than life to us while he is away.  He is now "perfect" Trevor in our eyes.  I couldn't have asked for a better brother and a greater gift for having him in my life.  Happy Birthday Trev!  We love you more than you will ever know.  Even though we are all miles apart goographically we are all close in eachother's hearts.

Trevor Update....

One thing I have learned about Trevor the last 8 months is that he is a man of few words.....see below

we just got 2 iches this weekend! and then this is me with slder smith! my roommate from svu! hahaha!

Although it was only one line and had atrocious spelling we love to hear from Trev! We are happy with one line or 100 lines.  The pictures speak 1000 words and we can't wait to see more.

The Toughest Guy in Town

I will be the first to admit that I don't know a whole lot (aka: nothing) about Rugby.  Since Josh has been playing Rugby I thought I should take more of an interest in the sport.  I decided to do some great research.  First things first - I saw Invictus (great movie by the way).  Second I went to a rugby game.  That is pretty much where my research ended.  I learned what I needed to know.  The sport of rugby it is tough.  It is brutal.  It is crazy to watch.  Josh dislocated his shoulder during one of the plays and kept playing on.  What a stud.  Who knew my baby brother would impress me in so many ways.

The school Josh's team played at was beautiful.  It looked like an old monestary and it was only built last year.  It was definitely the prettiest high school I have ever been to.

 

The kids (especially the boys) were totally impressed

Happy Birthday Dad!

 

Happy Birthday Dad!  Another year older, another year wiser.  If he keeps this up he may yet be the smartest man on the planet.  We had fun celbrating his 45th birthday.  Isn't it amazine how  I have such a young father?  We had a great dinner that he didn't eat because he is the incredible shrinking man and eating very healthy.  We opened presents, ate frozen yogurt and sang our traditional birthday song medley.  Molly cuddled up to her favorite man and tried to lick the presents.  For millions of other people who also think my Dad is their favorite person I can only say this.  He is even better than you imagine.

FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT DAD:

Rachel:  I love how Dad makes friends everywhere he goes.  He finds Italians, Russians, Mormons, Veterans and people in need to be his new friends everywhere we go.

Jacob:  I love talking to Dad! We've had some great conversations over the phone through the years and I enjoy receiving counsel from him as well as simply catching up with him. 

Trevor:  my favorite thing about my dad is that he is my father.

Natalie:  My favorite thing about dad is, his cheesy jokes and when he's so

proud when mom laughs! :)

Jessica:  My favorite thing about dad is his heart and the capacity he has to love people.

Travis: My favorite thing about Jim is how he is such a peacemaker.  I have learned much watching him maintain a cool head in times where I easily would've lost my cool.  He is able to remove himself from the situation.

I also love his passion.  When he is excited about something...off he goes and quickly...in hot pursuit...gathering info...making calls...spreading his enthusiasm. 

Kristin - No offense to anyone else, but Im pretty sure I lucked out with the nicest, most hard working, selfless, funniest, (well sometimes funniest but he is the king of "Dad jokes") respectful, humble, courageous, noble, spiritually intuned, most amazing dad ever! I LOVE my dad!

Natalie's Poem

I was cleaning out my documents folder on my computer and I found this fabulous poem that Natalie wrote for me.......

    A Poem For My Big Sister

Rachel you make me smile, and every once in a while… You don’t.

I love you very much… So much that I would live in a hutch…. For you.

If you just happen to read this poem… well I’ll make you go home.

Of course if you are already home… I would make you a clone… And then I would send it home. You are a joyful human being, and you don’t have trouble seeing.

If you ever do have trouble and you are seeing double, then give dad a call, unless of course he’s at the mall. If he is you have no hope, you will just have to marry the pope. If so Travis would be very mad, and he would go to the dark side (AKA bad)

Well this is very tragic!! I have to go to bed, so work your magic. Your magic will fix everything, and it will urge you to play pong-ping. Goodbye for now my dear sister, and don’t forget to bring you mister, and don’t let him get a blister. See you later alligator!!

Natalie is a poet and didn't even know it!

Too Cute for Words

Need I say more?