Happy Anniversary, Russ and Traci.......

Four years and 2 kids later.........

I'll admit it....I have S.A.D.....

.....and it's a real disorder. Click HERE to find out about it and see if maybe you have been afflicted with it as well. So....something that is good for "Seasonal Affective Disorder" is to get some sun....and since it's a bea....u....teeee....ful day here in Dixie I did just that and as I was sitting out in my plastic adirondak chair soaking up some rays, it was soooooo quiet. I found myself reflecting back to the good ol' days in the 'hood' when the place was a buzz with bikes, remote controls, skates, balls and most of all happy voices of children playing with their Christmas toys. I have to admit, I miss it....a lot and I'll be the first to admit that I have to remind myself all the time to "SNAP OUT OF IT". Just because things are different now doesn't mean that life isn't good because it is but just not as good as it was then. I'm sure there were days when I didn't think life was good...I know when I woke up one morning to broken eggs all over my sidewalk and then the sun baked them in good I was wondering when the era of ?????? would ever end but he actually turned out to be a pretty good adult..... but mostly good memories of kids that got along and found things to do together. It was a good place to raise a family.
Then, as the sun warmed my face a bit more and I looked up at the crystal blue sky with the beautiful white Pine Valley mountains, I remembered that these were the lazy days that we'd take off and go to Pine Valley and if Scott was working, my dad would come by and take us all up for a day in the snow. Kyle and his family ventured up there on Saturday but Lauri and I prefer the warmth...but I do need to go up and get a picture of the snow that they say is covering our fences. Hopefully I'll post that one soon....or not. We'll see. Lots of good times.

Let's hear it for the cards.....

It's always been my favorite part of Christmas and I refuse to give in to the e-card. I lost my address list from last year so resorted to sending out cards to my friends and family with addresses I was sure of or to people that sent me one but I did send them. I think I've only missed one year and I'm not sure why but I've kept my card each year to chronicle the changes in our family. It used to be creative but now it's pretty basic and I try to write at least a one-line message to those I choose to send one to. I do love pictures but I love more knowing what the family has been doing throughout the year. I was taking down my decorations and started taking my Christmas cards off the wall and decided I had to give a "shout-out" to those who sent me cards this year and a great big "THANK YOU" for not taking me off your Christmas card list. I'm going to start compiling a more complete address list so that next year I can get mine out by Dec. 1 which is what I did for most of my married life. Here's an excerpt that I ran across the other day that sums up why I like to get "real" Christmas cards and why I will continue for as long as I can write one (or afford to send one) to send my holiday greetings by snail mail.

"It’s intriguing at a time when e-mail is slowly taking over from the traditional letter ....... few of us want to receive electronic Christmas cards. The explanation is simple enough – it’s far more pleasant to decorate a room with cards than it is to pile them into a desktop folder on your computer."

Long live the Christmas card!!!!!

Christmas Eve at Grandma's...

A few loved ones were missing but other than that, same....same...same....Great food, Family Feud, Rudolf Relay, A visit from Santa, Count Chocula, Dixie College Sweatshirts, Chaos.....

It's gonna be lonely on the stairs this year....

.....for Lauri on Christmas morning. It's just her and me. No presents out to the middle of the room as in earlier years but we're healthy and happy. Christmastime is a time of hope in our family....a time to remember some very monumental Christmases Past....Twenty-three years ago today Scott coming home from his Bone Marrow Transplant and nine years ago tomorrow, getting the call to go up for a Liver Transplant. Very lonely but happy, hopeful times that I never want to forget because it has forever changed my life and given me a different perspective of this season. I love the feeling that will be present tomorrow as my family gets together for our traditional "Christmas Eve at my Mom's" to celebrate the good parts of our lives. The Annual Homerun Derby might have to be cancelled or postponed.....the pickin's are lookin' pretty slim for participants....hopefully just postponed a few days....we'll see. I'll keep ya posted. To everyone that can't make it this year, we'll miss you and hope you'll miss us. Travel safely. Next year it's our turn. Love ya!!!!!!

I really liked this.....

.....but I'm not sure why. I really like Glenn Beck so I thought I'd give it a try and wanted it to be just another "sappy" Christmas story made into a book because a guy is famous but it was more to me than that. But I'm still not sure if I like the book or the author more. I just liked it....'nuf said.

The mall was packed......

.....and I can't believe I actually went out on the Saturday before Christmas but I thought with the bad economy and all, maybe I would be the only one there!!!! This was actually my first day out to "shop"...you see...when we were young, Scott would always have to pay estimated taxes in November and it took a while to build back up again so I never got the "go ahead" until about December 15 to start my Christmas shopping so I'm used to getting a really late start and it usually consisted of just getting "anything" as most of the really good stuff was gone. So, Lauri and I were talking the other night about gifts and she admitted that there were some pretty "stupid" ones given by me.....but she did add that it was kinda fun seeing what Santa would bring when they didn't ask for anything. She admitted that among the stupidist (is that a word) were the ukeleles they got one year. I was SHOCKED to say the least. This was the first I've heard that they didn't just love them and I had high hopes of making them into my little strumming stars. But come to think of it, those things have just sat around all these years and no one knows how to play them. So I got to thinking about other stupid tries. There was the year that I didn't know what to get Kyle so on Christmas eve I hurried out and got him a unicyle. He did learn how to ride it though. Oh, then there's the year I got this HUGE manly gold necklace from my husband. I tried to act surprised and pleased when I opened it but I just about gagged. I probed a bit and Scott said that he took the little girls shopping and they led him to the JC Penney's jewelry department and pointed to that and said that I told them to tell him that I wanted it. Ugh.....so I questioned them for a really long time and was totally baffled as to what they think I pointed to....it was NOT that necklace. I quietly returned it for the $800.00 that he paid for it. It was actually half off. Poor Scott. He had the hardest times buying me gifts. Then there was the year of the sweatsuits. Not just one but two beauties, pastels both of them with the beautiful flowered embroidery. Those babes got traded in for some diamond earrings.....there you have it. I probably shouldn't admit that I ever hated any gift I got and I did appreciate the sentiment but some of those things just really needed returning. Good luck and just try to remember that it's the thought that counts. I'd love to hear your "stupid gift" stories.

And more snow.....

...yes, the children of Washington County must take this opportunity to make a snowman before the snow melts at noon.....thus a "snow day" has been declared. I will post some of those snowmen as I get out and about in a little while but for now, just wanted to say "hey" to my family in Kentucky and let them know what the snow is happening out here. I did write y'all a message on the trampoline. Taylor wanted to send his greetings as well. He and Skylar have been with me the the past 2 days as Sheryl had to make a quick trip to Nebraska where her father passed away. Looks like the snow is movin' on up north, up Traci's way. I have to admit that I like the snow.....I even liked it when I lived in Salt Lake. I just don't like it "wearing out it's welcome" by staying until May. I remember being in Logan one year for school and we wanted to have a nice little "end of the year" picnic up Logan canyon. Yup, there was still snow but we did it anyway, I think around May 26 or something like that. Not real good pictures but the caption in my scrapbook said "We got impatient waiting for spring" when actually, we were all heading home the next week. Seated at the "snowy" picnic table is Ann, Becky, Carla, Carol Ann and Phyllis. I must have taken this one because I'm in the next one and Carol Ann is not. Just wanted to give credit to all present. Those were pretty fun times...yep, they were and you can see we didn't let a little "late snow" keep us from having our good times. So, thanks Washington County for letting a little snowfall give our kids a good time. We here in the south deserve a "snow day" once in a while. I'll post some snowman pics later.

A little frostin' on the ground.....

......and a whole lot of it on the cookies. Yep, "frosting" is the theme of the evening as we've had a little dusting of snow all day long. Lauri and I were invited to the annual Shelton Family Cookie Decorating Night. Jan baked an uber bunch of yummy cookies and we all got to decorate to our heart's desire. I wish I would have gotten a picture of Evan's blue mouth...he got into the food coloring. It should wear off in a week or two. Lauri's had a Mexican theme and Kyle's....well, let's just say I don't think his creation would be politically correct to mention but it was creative to say the least.

Gingerbread is in the house....

....thanks to JoEllen for our 2nd annual Gingerbread Fest. She did all the work, got all the stuff and we all made the mess. (I think JoEllen cleaned everything up as well). Thanks for a good time. If prizes were to be given out, I think Mason would win for adding the sled....it took his over the edge for sure. The kids will probably all be sick tonight but it was a really good time and the continuation of another Wells family tradition. I was wondering where gingerbread houses originated so thought I'd share what I found. Gingerbread is a baked treat that dates back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to have first appeared in the U.S. in the nineteenth century, when the Swiss monks of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana baked gingerbread on holidays, and gave it to the sick. Over the years, baking gingerbread cookies and building gingerbread houses developed into a popular American Christmas tradition. It was a beautiful day outside so when we got finished with our lovely creations, some of us partook of a little Cornhole game while the kids jumped in the leaves.

Happy Anniversary, Spencer and Shana.....

Eleven years ago tomorrow these two became a family. Four kids later, they're a bigger family. Shana has been a "rock" to help Spencer fulfill his life goals. She's been willing to move to Salt Lake then cross country so he could finish his education. Thanks, Shana for taking care of my boy who threatened early on that he would never move out of this house. And thanks for welcoming me into your house when I visit. I hope you have a great day and do something fun together. Sorry I'm not there to babysit. Shana sent me this little diddy. Click HERE to see what Spencer's "little" family is up to. (Wait for it to download.)

Leaves are flyin' and donuts are fryin'.....

We set up in the garage and started the donuts fryin' about 3:30....by 4:30 the neighbors had gathered and the donuts were gone. This is a fun tradition that started with left-over mashed potatoes on long Sunday afternoons. A few of the neighbors got to where they were asking for them so we kept it going, dwindling down to just once a year at Christmastime. The girls figured a

few years back that they could cook them in the garage and not stink up the house, plus they could share them with passers-by and spread the holiday cheer. We did have a good time today but missed a few loved ones so may have to put on another batch another day.

The leaves are just barely hitting the ground as well. Seems a bit late this year but the kids had fun in them today.

It was a very good day...

....and fun to prepare for a hero's welcome as Lauri returned from her Mexico adventure. Actually, I'm glad she had mixed emotions returning home because that means her experience was worth all the sacrifice and the lessons learned invaluable. It's so good to have her home. Mexican cuisine from here on out. She and JoEllen hit the Mexican market early this morning where she got this and much more. Yummy........

Superman and Puddin' Boy....

The last installment of Superman jammies.....
Scotty has flown through the house for 2 days saving the princess from monsters and fighting the bad guys.










C'mon mom....just let me have it.











That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.....

It's the most....wonderful time....of the year....

....and since I've given myself permission to slow down, it really is. I decided to start looking at the season with my "glass half full" and decided it really is a happy, wonderful time if we remember the "reason for the season". This came in my e-mail this morning and helped me get my day started right. Click HERE if you'd like to enjoy this simple little video and just sit and reflect on the happy part of life, people. Yesterday I was able to get a really good start of de-cluttering and it feels so good. Also, I've taken on my "gratitude attitude" instead of my b----- one and it really makes a difference (a good night's sleep really helps too). So, to all you scrooges out there (and I may turn into one tomorrow but today is good), put on your re-thinking cap and do the things you enjoy and "slow down"........the day's going to come whether we're ready or not. I especially love my simple piano decoration so I'm sharing.

I hope you've got your lights untangled....

.....and you are standing there admiring your tree. I've lost a little holiday steam as I started out strong (in the enthusiasm department) but I'm waning. (1: to decrease in size, extent, or degree : dwindle : as a: to diminish in phase or intensity — ) It's taken me all day to drag the microwave box off the shelf (seems like just yesterday I hoisted it up there by myself) but I did get it out, untangled the lights (why don't I learn from year to year) and got my front room tree in place (thanks to Kyle's help, I was able to once again anchor the outrageous top ornament purchased in honor of Lauri on her Spanish speaking mission and now in honor of her return from Mexico. I will continue to keep it festive and colorful for her). Maybe tomorrow I'll get one more thing done. Let's see.....I have 21 days until Christmas....which means, if I get one thing done per day, I can only do 21 more things to get ready for Christmas. I've often wondered why we "get ready" for this one day. I've always been uncomfortable with the question "Are you ready for Christmas?" I do love the holiday but I don't like the stress that this question puts upon me and I try every year to avoid it or at least not let it consume me. So....I'll accept my slower pace this year and enjoy the 21 more things I will do to be "ready" when the day arrives and try to be merry about it. I like the concept of the "Secret of Christmas" which is....."it's not the things you do at Christmas time.....but the Christmas things you do all year through." Maybe I'll just leave my house decorated and have Christmas for 12 months and avoid the rush next year.

The very first Wells family tradition....

It was a cold day in Logan, Utah where Scott was attending school and I was working. We were newly-weds and lived in a dark, dingy basement apartment and, even though it was cold, the sun was shining so we took our lunch outside that day and sat down together at the top of our stairway to enjoy a yummy bacon and tomatoe sandwich (it's always been one of my favorites. Sometimes I'll even order it for breakfast when we go to a restaurant.) The topic of conversation that day was family traditions and in a joking way, I think I mentioned that since it was December 2 (or 1st, not quite sure) and we were eating BLT's and if every Dec. 2 (or 1st, haven't found any proof of the real date) we had BLT's then it would be a tradition. I tell this story to my children and over the years it has caught on with some of them.....so whether you have a BLT today or not, just talking about it keeps it alive. So here's to the BLT.....yum...ay.......and to family traditions.

Bring on the count down....

.....ya got yer chocolate advent calendar? Well....everyone should have one and today's the day to start (and spend the rest of the month refereeing the fights over who gets the chocolate). Also, just passing by, thought you might want to covet this front lawn. This guy brought out the whole choir....I'm gonna be lookin' for one of these, fer sure!!!!! He didn't have it lit up yet but I'm sure it's gonna be spec....tac.....ulaaaaar..... I'm leaving today so I won't get to enjoy but next year....my yard's gonna look just like this, fer sure. It's been a good stay here in Kentucky but gotta go home and face reality again (and get ready for Lauri's return, yay.........). Oh, and BLT day is upon us. Traci, I really think it's tomorrow but I'll go check my journals and find out for sure, so look for a post soon and I'll give y'all the 411 on that little Wells family tradition.
Happy Holidays

A Kentucky Thanksgiving.....

......no deep-fried turkey or grits but a lot of good food and family togetherness. We opted to eat in this year and it was good (last year we did the restaurant thang). Shana puts on a good spread and the house smelled good all day long (and there were left-overs. I think that's my favorite part of a Thanksgiving dinner.) The weather has cooperated as well. Lots of "outside time" with the kids; climbing trees, going to the park and walking to the dollar store. The tree is up and the stockings are hung....just waiting for the next holiday. I'll be heading home soon but it's good to know all is well here on the Louisville front. Happy Holidays to anyone that happens on this post.

My Kentucky kids get in on the Superman action...

They miss their cousins but were glad to get in on the action.....

Can you tell there was a sale....

.....on "Uberman" jammies and I invited the kids for a sleepover (call me crazy and what the "h" "e" double toothpicks was I thinkin') but we made it. I have a confession.....my love still runs out at 9:00. Nuff said!!!!! They did sleep and hopefully a good time was had between the whining, complaining, yelling (mine) and threats. Maybe they'll come back....maybe I'll invite them. They are pretty cute kids but ya know what? I'm appreciating the quiet right now.

I'm totally so out of it....

.....because I'm not at the mid-night showing of Twilight. I probably would have gone if invited but frankly, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. I did try reading the book......but once again, I'm uber not cool....(that word "uber" came up while I was reading Tamn's blog only she spelled it "oober" because she learned spelling with phonics in elementary; anyway, I was totally wondering where on earth such a word came from so I asked my sister if she had ever heard it and she informed me it was German so I googled it and found out that I am so much more totally out of it because it's been a cool word for quite some time; I just hadn't heard it. I would ask a few people here and there and they had heard it, so then I'm figuring, where have I been?!!!!! This is what I found out when I googled it....."One of the first popular modern uses of the word as a synonym in English for super was a Saturday Night Live TV sketch in 1979. The sketch, What if?, pondered the notion of what if the comic book hero Superman had landed in Nazi Germany when he first came from Krypton. Rather than being called Superman, he took the name of Uberman.[2]" So this goes clear back to 1979....wow!!!!" If you want to know more about the word, which you probably already know everything, duh....it's just me that doesn't then I've put in a link for ya. Click on uber). Anyway, I'm not going to Twilight, not tonight anyway and probably not tomorrow either.....but I did go to Park City and that was pretty cool? Why did I go to Park City? Because I could and Diana had a time-share for a week and it was uber relaxing and fun....(ya know, I really hate that word. You know when everyone started using "sucks"...I hated that one too and I wouldn't let anyone use it in my presence. I don't feel that strongly about uber but almost). I put "Knitting Workshop" on my calendar just so if anyone wondered why I went to Park City, that sounded like a pretty good reason and I knitted for many hours while there. We also shopped a bit but didn't want to contribute to the economy so it didn't take us long to walk past a few stores in the downtown district but we did happen onto the Family History Center that the church has established there and a couple of nice sisters showed us the new website that the church has developed to help us all get our generations linked properly. I spent a day with Traci then headed on down the road to be home to babysit while JoEllen went on a field trip with George's class. I'm throwing in a few random photos, one especially funny of Evan in Eddie Bauer where I went this morning to get his mom a birthday present.....he had a rockin' good time. Then tonight, I hosted at the Jubilee of Trees and will do the same tomorrow. This has been an uber lame post but I wanted to get caught up for all my followers out there in blog land. I have to link you to Penny's 2 Cents http://pennybs2cents.blogspot.com/post because she brags about Mason as her dentist. Also, I wish I could post the letter I got from Karen (she's Mason's assistant) and she took the time to write to a mom and tell her how her son is doing. I wish more of us would do that.....we always hope all is well but it's always good to hear from someone else. Thanks Karen, if you ever read this. You made my day.....week.....year. I'll carry your letter around in my purse for the rest of my life and maybe someday, post it on my blog.

Anniversaries and Birthdays...

Eight years ago tomorrow, Mandy joined the family. She and Mason were married in the St. George Temple. They lived here for a while then headed to Kentucky for school. Five years and three kids later, they're back and we're glad. Happy Anniversary on Wednesday. Thursday is JoEllen's birthday. She joined our family 11 years ago when Kyle decided to ".....view her in a different light". They had been friends a long time and when I told him the friendship needed to move on to something more "....you need to view this girl in a different light"... is what I think I said and his response in "grandpa style" was..."I looked at her in the sunlight and with a lamp on....and she looks the same." Happy Birthday, JoEllen. Glad Kyle finally "saw the light" and invited you to join the Wells Clan. I guess I should say "thank you" for accepting. Have a good one.

Remembering a really good man......

on his birthday, Scott Gordon Wells

November 16, 1949 - July 22, 2001

Nothing like a good whiff of something.....

…..to spark a memory, hopefully a good one. Yesterday, Kyle came in hot a sweaty, rushing from one meeting and needing to be to another one without having time to go home and freshen up. He asked me if I still had Dad’s cologne, "Elsha", anywhere. It was right where he left it over 7 years ago and hasn’t been touched since. He splashed some on and came out breathing in the scent of memories of days past….."That’s the smell of a babysitter.” I was a bit puzzled at first but then he explained that the only time he smelled it on his dad was when we were going out on a date and got a babysitter. The babysitter would arrive and we would leave, exiting with the scent of “Elsha” in the air. My dad’s signature cologne was “Old Spice” and my mom’s was “Evening in Paris”. I remember seeing that dark blue bottle in the medicine cupboard and always being fascinated with “grown up” perfume. I think I even sneaked a whiff once in a while. Then Avon came along and “Topaz” seemed to be my mom’s scent of choice along with others she would try. I remember trying things like “Chantilly” and others but they all seemed “cheap smelling” compared to my favorite, “Eternity”. I don’t know when I started thinking I was rich enough to have a “signature” cologne but I did and I still wear it to this day. I used to use any money I was given as a gift to purchase it. I don’t wear it much any more but I still love it, mostly because of the memories I have when I smell it. I’ve thought a lot about smells lately as I’ve enjoyed the coming of Fall and the scent of cool, fresh air with a whiff of ….can’t call it anything but Fall. I’m not sure what it is, maybe the changing of the leaves causes it….maybe someone has a fire in their fireplace somewhere. I’m not quite sure but it always brings with it memories of family gatherings, football games and the coming of the holidays. Speaking of holidays, I think that’s the main reason I still get a real Christmas tree. I just love the smell. I’ve stocked up on my “Evergreen” and “Christmas Tree” Salt City Candles and can’t wait to get them lit, anything to capture that fresh-cut Christmas Tree smell, always trying to capture something other than the 28-year old house smell. I use Pine Sol when I clean. Even if I don’t clean, if I put a bit of it in the sink with a little water, it smells like I’ve cleaned. Everyone’s house has a smell. The kids used to say if they were blind folded and taken to someone’s house in the neighborhood, they would be able to tell whose house it is. I think I’ll go do some real cleaning….then light a candle. Mmmmmm, Pine Sol and Pumpkin Spice; doesn’t get much better.

Today's just one of those days.....

.....that 15 years ago I would have given a heave ho and tossed a few laundry buckets down the stairs. Laundry has never been one of my strong points in housekeeping (actually, I'm pretty much "domestically challenged" - 'clean enough to be healthy, dirty enough to be happy') but in trying to come to grips with my disdain of laundry, one day I purchased a laundry bucket for each member of my family, put each one's name on it (some of them got personalized over the years. Not sure who was into Garbage Pail Kids at the time) and as I would launder, I would load the buckets fully expecting each obedient child to empty his/her bucket into his/her bedroom downstairs. I took great pride in filling up the buckets and most of the time I didn't really care if the clean clothes stayed in the buckets but once in a while, on a day like today, I JUST WANTED THE LAUNDRY DONE AND PUT AWAY. My rage would get the best of me and I would chuck them, one by one down the stairs (it felt so good) and the children would just stare at me....I'm not sure what they were really thinking but at least the laundry room would get cleared out, for a time anyway. My laundry room is pretty small. Actually, it isn't really a room, it's more like a closet but I think each of my kids thought it was their personal changing room, and, like I said, most days it didn't bother me, but on days like today, I just wanted it clean. So I got up this morning with the feeling that I wanted it cleared out, but that feeling soon went away and I've gone on to more important things like downloading my Christmas songs onto my Ipod. Now that's important stuff (and cleaning out my den closet and finding some wonderful pictures to post, like this one.) Anybody got any dialog for this? Mason, if you're having a hard time putting down some memories of Dad, maybe you could start with this one. The rest of you better watch out. I'm finding some pretty interesting stuff in my quest to clean.