It's always interesting...

....to see who will drop in for my birthday celebration.....and each year just gets better and better as we wait anxiously to see Mason's costume. He outdid himself this year as "Sven"....

It's been an awesome day as my whole fam damily was here. Traci and Russ just happened to be passing through from North Carolina moving back to Salt Lake...and Lauri and James came down from Provo....

.....and another line-up of my beautiful posterity...what could make a mom happier and all I ever wanted for my birthday was happy children and I think I got it this year.

Not sure where these two got their "zest" for this most worthless holiday but they seem to take part with gusto every year....Sven and Glenda hooking up....actually quite disgusting (but funny).
...and as always, love it when my friends drop by.

Pretty fun day to say the least. Thanks to my girls for putting on a fabulous spread. Another year under my belt...wondering what year 62 will bring. Thanks to everyone for helping me celebrate in style....still hate halloween but love my birthday.

Thirty-eight short years ago....

.....on this day, my first-born entered the world and things just haven't been the same since. He got a pretty rocky educational start....remedial reading in 5th grade, weezled his way out of spelling tests all of 3rd grade (and we bless the invention of spell-check)...but persevered to become an engineer with an MBA and a Ph.D. and is a professor....(and might I add, has a degree from the University of Hard Knocks)....

Kyle's always had an independent, adventurous nature....willing to learn and try anything and has achieved a lot in his 38 years. The first-born is always the "experimental" child and for this I have to offer my apologies....we weren't always the wisest in his up-bringing (sorry about the Wranglers and Luke Skywalker shoes)....but I think he turned out pretty darn good for what he had to put up with in us "first-time" parents. Happy Birthday, today son. Thanks for all the good times.

Breakin' a rule here...

.....as I don't usually blog about what I didn't do. I didn't do this tonight but couldn't resist posting these pictures of those that did. They must've had a mighty fine time....you decide.

Ya gotta love Thriller.....

The boys are back...

....and it was fun going to the ball park tonight to watch them play.
It's been a while since they were on a team together and it's truly one of my favorite things to do. They won a couple and lost a couple tonight....can't believe that one time it mattered. Still does a little but not so much...just fun being there watching them have a good time praying they don't get hurt...they got important stuff to do now.

The girls are enjoying the game...(and the popcorn)....

A great way to spend FHE.....

Midway is Heaven....

.....and that's where I am today. Oh, my.......it is so beautiful up here and Shirley Ann has opened her beautiful home to our lounging, laughing, knitting and just "being"....the fall foliage is on the tail end but still georgeous as are these 61 year-old beauties here posing on the deck....

From the 60's to now....only a few noticable changes........

It's time again...

....for the BFFs to come together to see what ailments and maladies have fallen upon each one of us since the last meeting (...and what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas 'cause we can't remember what happened in Vegas)....and re-hash life's "funnies" for the umpteenth time....and laugh a lot.

A lot's happened since this trip to Zion when one of our parents let us take the car and venture out on our own....what were they thinking?

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.....and on this day, 31 years ago, my little baby David Barber Wells was born but I didn't get to keep him. I always wonder what it would have been like to have 4 little boys to raise.....a very disappointing day to say the least but I know we will meet again and for that knowledge I am grateful.

Life is good, folks....

....and if you don't believe it, then come by and I'll convince ya. I found some poms yesterday. It's getting harder and harder to get enough sour ones to juice up and jel but I'm on a roll....not sayin' I don't need more so I'm putting out a "shout out" to anyone out there that wanders by an "unused" pomegranate tree....check and see if they are the sour ones (dark red seeds) then give me a call. I've been known to knock on doors and "beg on bended knee" for someone's crop. I'll do it again....

Bring it on...I need more poms....

There's a mass migration...

.....to Southern California of families from Southern Utah; however, we chose to venture a little more to the east during this Fall break and have our own 2nd Annual Wells Fall Foliage Fest at the Grand Canyon; God's Disneyland and what a beautiful day it was for this venture. Kyle's family invited me along last year (the last week-end that the Grand Canyon Lodge is open) and we decided then and there to make it an annual event so we invited others along.

We started off with a little detour to the California Condor Reserve (Click HERE to learn more about this endangered species). George is into birds these days so it was a "must see" as Kyle had just attended a program where he learned about this place. We all had to match our wingspan to the Condor, the Golden Eagle and the Hawk.

These two guys were watching a new Condor be introduced into nature and we just happened by to interrupt their intense observation but they were nice enough to let George look through the telescope. That will probably be George out there one day watching these birds.....

Next stop, Jacob Lake Inn for lunch and playing around on the rocks....

Nothin' like the restaurant experience to make you feel like it's a vacation. It's always good food and nice atmosphere. I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling through the area.



Some of us didn't get the memo on the blue shirts.....

The end of the day found me sneaking away to soak in some sun on the deck looking over the grandeur.....only marred by a little bit of smoke on the horizon that we learned was a planned/controlled burn.

All I can say is that it's a canyon and it's grand and I got to spend my day there. I'll do it again next year for sure (just gotta plan a little more time at this perch)

Grandkids unleashed.....

There used to be only one rule......"there are no rules" but I had to make some new ones, the first one being this:

The second one is ....."you can't rip the heads off the Barbies".....

Dressing up is always a part of the evening.....getting crazier every year....

...and they get their own can of pop.....(should've hidden the Coke Zero, they were wired).

.....a little "Berries and Cream" got the night rolling pretty early.....
Home made pizzas....what was I thinking. Should've stuck with Little Caesars. There's gonna be some tired kids (and a grandma) today. All I can say, I'm still laughing this morning..............they were hilarious.

From buff to tuff....

.....that's my Mason. It's his birthday today and I'm telling ya, he was one tough kid. He continues to amaze me....'cause we surely thought he was "brain damaged" at birth. He's been out to prove us all wrong ever since. (I actually thought of the "brain damage" thing when he signed up for the marathon). Wrong again.

He finished in fine fashion (sorry I doubted you, Mason.) His athletic prowess served him well once again. He continues to maintain his status in the "Buff Club".....life time membership for sure.

....and we have all benefitted from his "wild and crazy" tendencies as he is the best party giver I know and he always makes us laugh.

Thanks, Mason for 33 years of "wild and crazy" times....I loved every minute of it (it's a good thing my memory fails me, isn't it?) Happy Birthday today.....eat some cake.

A Southern Utah version...

....of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives".....as Elsa and I ventured to Springdale last night in search of some fine food and entertainment. Not knowing for sure where we were going, we ended up here at "Park House Cafe"....and I have to say, I was a little intimidated by the "smallness" of it knowing there would be live music, none other than one of my SU favorites, Jerone Wedig; I just figured it would be packed...but no one knows about it yet so it was pretty much our own personal concert and the food was really good as well. I'll go back just for the food but the added bonus of Jerone singing only to us, (and a couple others) was really fun. A few ventured in and out while we were there but we stayed seated for about an hour enjoying the tunes. The drive, as always, was beautiful but even moreso with the coming of evening and a slight cloud cover, the bottoms of the gray clouds being lined with the pink of the setting sun....wish I would have taken a picture. We are so blessed to live in such beautiful country.....
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....and speaking of Southern Utah, welcome back Spencer.
Just had to throw in this latest ad and express to Desert Pain my sincere appreciation for putting this announcement in....mother's orders. Tell Court and the gang "thanks".....a mother's gotta do what a mother's gotta do. I rest my case....no more threats.

Another perfect Pine Valley party...

....in honor of Mason's 33rd (I think) birthday. Doesn't take much to make a good time when you have friends, food and a fire to roast marshmallows on a nippy, Fallish evening on the mountain.

Took the kids to the zip line for a little adventure....

We're coming to the end of the season at the cabin and will have to close it up for the winter soon but I have to say....it's been a blast this summer and I think I've spent more time up there and there have been more parties than ever before. So...I'll bid an early adieu to our "heaven on earth" and count it as one of my blessings to have it and enjoy it. The snow has hit the mountain already but I think we'll have another couple of weeks. Good memories of good times.

I don't even know what to title this....

....except wicked awesome!!!! So glad to have him back home.

Let's spread the word that there's a new pain man in town.....

About once a week....

.....it's the big round-up of my reading glasses. They seem to migrate to the bathroom...from my head to the counter top....the last place I am before I climb in bed and more times than not, I have to get out of bed, go back to the bathroom to get a pair of the glasses if I want to read or change the channel, then, at some time, I have to re-distribute them to the various and sundry pots I have around the house (one in every room, sometimes two)....but I'm grateful I can see with these reading glasses. They've just become a part of me, like a head-band....but useable 'cause I can't do a thing without 'em...can't look up a phone number (or dial one), can't read the remote control or put a movie on the VCR for the kids....well, I think you get the picture. It's just a part of the aging process......

...another part of that process is forgetting things like where my glasses are (and there are times I can't find a single pair. Just have to wait for the migration I guess)....but mostly just wondering where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing. Anyone relating out there?????
I know, I should just put things on my calendar...but then I'd have to go find my glasses to read the calendar!!!!!

Nobody died....

......my prayers were answered. Kyle finished his tenth and Mason his first. Amazing.....

We took our usual spot on Diagonal to cheer them on....

....and every year as I make my way through the crowds, I think to myself..."I could do this"....then when I get out on the street.....the thought goes away.

Indulge me a bit here...

.....as I remember and honor my dad today. He left us nine years ago this day and left us with memories of lots of good times, good laughs and a great example of a simple life of living and loving. I miss him so......

He loved my kids so much but what fun he would have been having with this next generation.

He loved my mom, he loved his kids, he loved my kids and he loved Pine Valley.

...but most of all, he loved being with my mom and me and my kids in Pine Valley.

I've spent a lot of time in up there this summer and have had lots of time to think of the good times we had, buying the place together, going up every evening after work, letting the kids run and play while we worked hard on the cabin making it what it is today. I'm not sure where heaven really is....but if it's here on earth....then he's in Pine Valley. Miss you Dad....but I know you are a happy man 'cause it makes me happy to think about you.