The shade of summer....

....is now a big mess on my front lawn but to Miller, it's a party.

It didn't help that I forgot to turn the sprinklers off and they are all soaked but we'll continue to "party on" for the next couple of days as this late fall turns into winter and the Christmas season is upon us, lock, stock and barrel (a merism or figure of speech meaning "all", "total" "everything". You probably knew that but I just wondered where that phrase came from so I looked it up. Click HERE if you want to know too).

I think this is the earliest I've ever put up my tree but hey...when the mood hits...ya gotta go with it. I'll put on my new Canadian Tenor Christmas tunes, heat me up some hot chocolate and I'm good to go. BTW, it's BLT day tomorrow...however....some think it's Dec. 2nd. The verdict is still out and I can't find any proof one way or the other so....I'm having mine tomorrow; I'm just sayin'....

There's this saying...

....or maybe it's a "grandpa-ism" that goes: "How was your "trip" last "Fall"? I think it would apply to me as I just got back from a trip to Kentucky and had a wonderful time, but last Friday as we were hurrying down the ramp to make it to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis so we could get the 30% discount, one of the little ones crossed in front of me and.....you guessed it....I tripped and fell. Nothing more humiliating than falling down in a public place. I'm not sure which was bruised the most, my knee or my pride but Spencer helped me up and we were on our way for a great day at this wonderful place.

Lots of fun stuff for the kids to see and do.

I'm posting a few of the many pictures I took, the highlight for me (other than spending the day with my grand kids) was the Barbie Exhibit. I don't know why I like her, but I do. Barbie was a big part of my childhood and since she didn't enter my life until I was 9 years old, I guess I just didn't get enough of her so I've continued to collect and adore her through the years and though Spencer would rather line 'em all up and use them as target practice, he actually walked through the exhibit with me, bless his heart. I actually own a lot of the memorabilia that was on display and it was fun to see it all and remember the hours and hours I would spend not only playing with them but saving money so I could buy the beautiful, detailed dresses and outfits for a whopping $3.50 a piece. They just don't make 'em like that any more. Something that I thought was really cool was the display in the store window (see the picture in my title) with real Barbie dolls in each of the letters spelling Barbie.

We had fun painting, playing Wii, kickball, watching t.v. and playing my new favorite game, (and I don't usually like games) "Wits and Wagers". Clickity click on it to learn more about it. As I mentioned before, this is the 8th Thanksgiving I've spent in Louisville, Kentucky and the last as the Kentucky Wells family is finally ready to move on. I will miss this place immensely. It's been good to my family but we will welcome them home with open arms and lots of new adventures ahead.

Dinner was divine as usual.

Spencer taking the little ones off to bed so we could play more Wits and Wagers in peace.

I do love these kiddos and it's always sad to leave them. Lest you think the week-end was perfect (it almost was) there were a few "tangles". Not only did we attend the movie "Tangled" which I thoroughly enjoyed; can't say it's my new favorite but I LOVE 3D and it took this movie from a 3 thumbs up to a 5 for me. O.k. back to the "tangles". I bought some really soft, expensive yarn and I was supposed to be able to pull the yarn out of the middle but it got so tangled and turned into a huge mess and Spencer just wondered why I kept at it for hours and hours and even recruited the whole family to help me out of this mess, so if you've read this far you're probably wondering why I'm even posting about such a stupid thing as tangled yarn; it was worth saving. It's the softest yarn I've ever worked with and turned into this. Thanks Shana and Laynee for sticking with me and getting this done. Thanks to the Spencer Wells family for inviting me for one last Thanksgiving at their Old Kentucky Home. It was a relaxing and funfilled vacation for me. I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving week-end and that everyone has weathered all the storms, both in life and on the road and finds themselves in a safe warm place this night.

What color is your world today?

I hope it's Marvelous Magenta or Grateful Green and there's nothin' I love more than a new box of crayons and to discover all of the interesting new colors they have come up with like Tickle Me Pink, Lazer Lemmon and Unmellow Yellow. We came up with a few like Laynee's Outrageous Orange, BallisticBlue and Perfect Purple and Drew's Gross Green and Rambunctious Red.

I thought I'd like my world to be like Patient Pink or Courageous Coral but whatever the color, these little ones are "coloring my world" today.

We had a coloring contest with our new crayons. Jack won in the 1 to 3 year old category...Drewby in the 7 to 10 year old category. Laynee came in on top in the 11 and older category and Seth picked up the 4 to 6 year old category. They're looking dapper in their new jammies that we shopped for today after which a stop at Micky D's....a standing tradition when I come to visit. Color me lucky to be in Kentucky......Happy Thanksgiving one and all.

I'm leavin' on a jet plane.....

....and my bags really are packed, I'm ready to go, I'm standing here, inside my door, just waiting for 3 a.m. to arrive then I'm outta here, perhaps my last Thanksgiving in Kentucky. Been goin' there for about 9 years now (except last year when Lauri got engaged) and I think one of my most memorable Thanksgivings was there; not particularly the best one, but the most memorable. We went to the Holiday Inn; we ate, then we swam, then I sent the parents home and kept the kids for a sleepover. I loved it but I don't think it got good reviews from anyone else. Anyhoo, I'm headin' out to be with Spencer's fam this year. Have a good one. I'm sure I will. HAPPY THANKSGIVING one and all.

I thought Holiday Inn hosted a really nice Thanksgiving. Wanna know why we'll probably never do it again?......no leftovers.

It's kinda like having a baby...

.....when you invite the kids for a sleepover. Yeh, it's hard and you say to yourself..."I'm never gonna do this again"....after a while, you do it again. Actually, last night went amazingly well in spite of the fact I had two of the little ones (Miller stayed but went home later) as Kyle and JoEllen went out for her birthday and the midnight showing of Harry Potter, but Matty went to bed early and the mayhem (needless or willful damage or violence) began....and that was probably a bit of a harsh word to use 'cause the kids were really pretty good. Maybe bedlam (a place, scene or state of uproar and confusion) would be better here (you should see my house!!!) They really are fun little kids and play together well (most of the time) and I love 'em dearly....each and every one.

....and today is JoEllen's birthday and I need her to know how much I love and appreciate her. She's a terrific wife, mom and daughter-in-law.

I really do admire her ability to run a tight household and yet really enjoy life. She always has her priorities straight and is a friend to all. Have a great day, JoEllen.

Keep enjoyin' the ride.....

Most days....

....I pretty much wish I were someone else but today...I'm glad I'm me because: (1) I finished my first crossword puzzle (with a little help from my sis who got me goin' on these. I remember a few years back Spencer used to do them and I couldn't figure out why the heck anyone would really want to but today, I did it and it felt cool.) Now I can go to the rest home. (2) I said I'd never do it but I got back on Facebook so I could play Scrabble with Jean Jolley. I'm hopeless, I know. (3) I did my civic duty by volunteering at the Jubilee of Trees. The money this year is going toward a new high-tech mammography machine. Joyce and I had a pretty good time and enjoyed a little early Christmas cheer...(a little too early for me but what the heck, it was free).

(4) Enjoyed a good ol' donut fry while Cynthia taught my Relief Society girls a little bit of cooking savvy. I'm not sure if any of them listened, but they enjoyed eating the donuts.

(5) I captured a beautiful sunset on my way across the street (top of page) and got to thinking how unique each one of them is and how fortunate that I had a camera in my pocket to capture it and (6) .... my "Smart Phone" is reading to me from the Book of Mormon (I think it's Bruce Lindsey's voice) as I compose this blog. A Smart Phone is only as smart as it's owner and yesterday mine was pretty dumb (it's totally a "love/hate" relationship with technology) but today, I'd say it's come from an "F" to a "C+" and improving daily. I cornered one of the girls tonight and got "schooled" in Droid...pretty cool stuff. So there you have it....who wouldn't want to be me today..... "I'm glad I'm me and I'm walking to the store, walking to the store, walking to the store, I'm glad I'm me and I'm walking to the store, walking to the store for my mother"......(are you singing along kids?)

It's the tenth time....

...I've celebrated his birthday without him and it's not getting any easier but I need you to know what a "first class" guy he was. I've said a lot about him in other posts and it seems these past nine years, I've done nothing but think about him every minute of my life so I think it's o.k. to dedicate a post to him once a year. He taught me to go through life "first class"....not that we always got to do it but it's how he lived. I don't always follow his example but I do try.

I think he spoiled me 'cause there were times I wouldn't go with him if it wasn't "first class" (or at least a nice, warm motel room)....but that didn't keep him from going...he just took Lauri and Traci along (mostly to put the camper up and down and do the dishes) but at least he gave them the "experience".......

...and there were times he wanted us to have the "experience" so badly, that he would do things he didn't like (he hated roller coasters) just to make sure the frightened one would overcome a fear. Whom would you say he is riding this 'coaster for???? Huh? Not himself that's for sure and certainly not for me or Mason......

...and ever willing to for go the comforts of his Lazy Boy so his boys would not be lazy boys. He loved getting out in nature with his sons.

Maybe that's why I chose to spend my day today celebrating his day in a place we both loved and went together often. Never have I seen a bluer sky than the one that greeted me today. Cynthia and I took a detour to Grafton then headed up to enjoy the Fall leaves that were almost gone in Zion.

I ended the day with dinner at a new Chinese Buffet....George's new love of Sushi has caused this establishment to replace Chuck-a-Rama.

As we all move on to another year of missing him, I hope that each time you conquer a fear or try something new, you'll know that's what he would have wanted for you. He loved traveling to new places,trying new foods, and learning something new each day and he wouldn't want fear to keep you from being adventurous and trying new things. Happy Birthday, Scott Gordon Wells. You are missed by many....

Just another day.....

....but it was good to get it started with a grin. As Miller came in this morning, he showed me his hands and said...."i's perty".....I'm still smiling as I know I should probably try to wash it off but he's so proud of his art work, how can I? Mandy said he had disappeared to the basement and she found him with the markers. He does love his markers. One other time when I was tending, he had his Spiderman outfit on and had painted his feet red. What's making you smile today?

What happened in Vegas....

.....was really a lot of fun and though my pictures aren't too good, let me tell you, it was all fabulous. We met Friday at high noon, dined at House of Blues and headed out into the city, walking 'til we couldn't walk "no more" then finding any tram or excuse to sit down that we could, hitting the City Center, Bellagio Fountains, The Coca-Cola Factory (which isn't a factory any more, just a store) and the M & M Store (and many very strange sites on the streets of Vegas) then back to Mandalay Bay to crash, knit and visit 'til the last one of us fell asleep. To some,....borrrrrrr...ing, but to us good ol' friends from way back to elementary and high school, a lot of laughin' and talkin' in Rooms 12106 and 12108

*******
I really should have taken a picture of my breakfast, Coconut Mango Pancakes with Mango Butter...yum; then off to a bit o' shoppin' and back to get ready for Lion King.

Oh my, was it amazing. I couldn't stop smiling just thinking how awesome it was to be there and not only that, but to be there with my friends. Our buffet after was amazing too.

I wanted to give them all something to commemorate our 60th year so I painted some little pots to hold their reading glasses and Traci wrote a little poem to go with them. We had lots of good laughs over our inability to remember things, our ability to misplace things and our incapacities caused by walking the streets of Las Vegas. We were happy to "just sit" or lay at the end of the day.

Here's to our glasses.....we wanted them then....we need them now....but where are they????? (click on poem to enlarge).

In all our "catching up", we couldn't help but remember all the things we've learned from one another through the years from good books to read, the best make-up to use, what purses to buy, what movies to watch.....but most of all we've been able to comfort one another in life's sorrows, rejoice in life's shining moments and keep each others secrets. We missed Janny, Stef, Jill and Carol Ann but we'll catch them next time....and oh yes, there will be a "next time". Til' then....thanks girls, for a great week-end.

What happens in Vegas....

....ain't gonna stay in Vegas 'cause it will be on my blog Monday mornin'. Yep, I'm headed out with the girls for a couple a days on the town hosted my Vegasite Mary Ann. A little shoppin', eatin' and Lion King. Should be a good time.

Here we are in simpler times at the State Basketball Tournament in Provo sportin' our fake glasses...little did we know how we would come to depend on them later in life. Little did we know what we would come to depend on later in life!!

We knew how to have a good time then and we still do.

One of our gatherings. Jill told us if we put our hands under our chins we would look thinner (or was that younger?) By golly, I think it worked!!!!

It's a small miracle....

....and I'm so grateful for the 'granates'. I've seen so many loaded bushes around town but I hate to go beg for them; however, that's pretty much what I did last week while at Mason's Dental office. I asked Karen to go beg for them and she did....and I'm asking anyone else in my readership to go beg for them but here they are and yes, Mason, I'll probably get about 4 batches of jelly out of these. They are beautiful. Thanks so much for bringing them to me and to Karen for asking and to the nice person that picked them and brought them in. Good times ahead. I'll take more.....don't mean to be glutoness, but one can never have too much Pomegranate Jelly. Bring it on!

'Tis the season....

.....to be grateful and I hope I'll spend this month thinking every single day about the things that I love and live my life with an "attitude of gratitude". It's good for the health. Tonight I'm thankful for this yummy little combination of Costco products that Traci introduced me to last year, maybe not so good for my health but I'll partake in moderation.

After a really looooong day at work (double shifted) I'm putting my feet up and sipping away....good night all.