Saturday, March 29, 2014

It may never happen again....

....but then again, it just might and I'm mighty glad it did tonight. We just happen to all be gathering for my mom's 87th birthday this weekend....and it just happened to be Women's Conference.....and JoEllen just happened to suggest that we need a tradition like the guys have (they go out for Chinese before the priesthood sessions)....and she just happens to be bossy enough (thank you so much JoEllen) to make us insist that my mom come along and we all just happened to agree and so we did....
This I will treasure.....it was such an awesome experience. We met at "25 Main" and had a bite to eat then headed on down to the East Stake Center.....
Taking advantage of the beautiful backdrop, we posed for a few more. Just lovely....don't ya think??
Happy Birthday to my mom tomorrow. I'll post more after her birthday party....but now I have to say this has been "moving week" for Lauri and James.....goodbye Henderson, hello St. George....
Thanks to Mother Nature, Jack Frost and Triple A.....I have a shiny new basement for them to move into...the grandkids can finally have a place to run around and be crazy again. We are getting the finishing touches put on it this week....and play they did these past couple of days as the cousins came together in wonderful chaos.....I do love it. I also love baseball. I've been to non-stop games this past week but I especially want to point out how fun it is to watch my kids play, but as much fun is watching my boys coach.....they apparently got to pick the names of their teams....why else would Mason's team be the Rangers.....

The Rangers then and now....good times. I get to some of their activities when I'm town but I miss a lot as well. Laynee ran some track meets and did great (qualified for state) this past week-end and Maycee plays soccer. I've missed most of Drew's soccer and all of their basketball. I miss George's piano performances and a lot of other fun stuff that goes on....but that's o.k. I'm just happy that they all seem happy in what they do...and I've always said..."if it's not fun, then find something else that is". Kids need to be active but they need to be doing all this extra stuff because they love it...not 'cause their parents want them to. As a parent, I always tried to help them find a "niche"....something that they are good at and love...then life is good. All I ever wanted in life was happy kids. They all seem to be pretty happy here at Town Square today....
This place has developed into such a fun gathering place for families. Simple fun.....I love it!!!!! And while we are on the subject of "splashing".....which rhymes with "crashing"....that's what Lauri and I did tonight......we "crashed" Traci's Jetette reunion.
They met at Olive Garden and Lauri and I like Olive Garden....and I pretty much lived my life through Traci during those years after Scott was gone.....so, I invited myself. We just dropped in, snapped a picture and left them to it but I do love reunions. So good to see these girls again. They are all so very lovely....which leads me into my one last item on this post.....these lovelies.....
A few years ago, my favorite black shoes went missing. I had them on my mission, and yes, they do look like "old lady" shoes....but, heck....I'm an old lady and they were comfortable shoes. I really missed them. I looked high and low and figured I'd left them in a hotel or something but the other day, I saw one of my shoes sitting on the rock. Jeff must have found it whilst trimming my yards. I went looking for the other one, hardly recognizable but yep, they were my missing shoes....must've been in the bushes for 4 or 5 years. Only thing I could figure was there was this one time, after church, I'd gone and locked myself out of my house. I found my bedroom window open so I pulled over a lawn chair, took off my shoes, and climbed on in that there window and forgot to go back and get my shoes.....well here they are. Beauties, aren't they....needless to say, this is all I have...a picture of them as they went right to the trash. There's gotta be a lesson in here somewhere. One last picture from Town Square....I just love how "artsy" this town has gotten. Here's a new sculpture on the round-a-bout. This one's for Jon B......one of my faithful followers. I know he'll love it.
(Just so you know...this is a little poem I wrote). So...here's to my mama and her 87 years....riddled with joy but sprinkled with tears....maker of cakes, potato salad and more.....the kids know the candy's in the top kitchen drawer. Rice pudding in the oven and pies on the rack....surely she'd give you the shirt off her back. She's a giver of gifts....sender of cards....she loves a neat house and her beautiful yard. Happy Birthday, Mom....your legacy you've sewn....by your good works....you'll surely be known.
"....Let your alight so shine before men, that they may see your good bworks, and cglorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16). 

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Week in review....

...and it won't be a long post. We've both been a bit "under the weather", a phrase that mystifies me so I looked it up to see whence it came.....click HERE if you're interested (and make sure you listen to Polly Darton....she's cute). A simple trip to Daffodil Hill helped me feel better this past week.....
We love our afternoon adventures to Gold Country, stopping in our favorite spots along the way, especially The Buffalo Emporium in Amador City for pie. The apricot pie is heavenly.
We like to stop and stroll the streets of Jackson and we enjoyed visiting the bakery and city park in Volcano.
Closer to home....I've enjoyed spending a lot of the day out by the pool enjoying the sunshine, a good book and the wisteria....
Life is good.....

Monday, March 17, 2014

Just a week ago.....

.......we were here!!!
....hangin' with my girls in San Francisco and enjoying this boat ride under the Golden Gate Bridge and around the bay. Just wanted to add a few pics that had been left out on my last post.
Just before we left for the airport on Tuesday, we grabbed the bikes out of the garage.....
...and hit the trails while Laynee got in her run. It was such a fun week for the girls and the boys, I'm sure were a bit jealous. Hopefully, they will get their turn but they wouldn't let me get away without some fun. So what does this tired old grandma do? I let them come, got a little work out of them, ordered some pizza.....
....then set them free. This made me laugh so hard. I've loved the time I've been able to be with my grand kids. They are all so fun......but I needed to get back to Randy. He's been so patient to let me be gone for almost three months getting my basement back together so I left on Saturday and surprised him.....
He's such a good man and makes me happy. We enjoy being together and he has filled a huge void in my life. Scott died way too early and I did "alone" for ten years but "together" is way better and Randy is so very good to me.
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On this day, 42 years ago, Scott and I were married. (Click HERE to read a previous post.) I don't outwardly celebrate but in my heart, I feel the loss and I miss the life I had with him. I'm happy though as I watch my children with their spouses and children and I know Scott and I did good. Traci wrote me in a message today...."Thinking about you and dad today. Thanks for being such great examples of what an everlasting marriage should be. Love you. Enjoy some lobster." Each of the kids have acknowledged that they remember and that means a lot. I've a bit of a lump in my throat right now and shedding a tear or two....but that's o.k. I don't ever want to forget the life I had with Scott Gordon Wells. 

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

I'll say it again.....

....and again and again. I'm so glad that Lauri got a sister 29 years ago today. Click HERE  or on the picture to see more "sister" stuff (it's good).......
http://jamesandlauri.blogspot.com/
A great big Happy Birthday to my baby girl Traci today. She's beautiful......here's her latest "selfie" that I love, wearing a hat I made for her.
She's the best "boy" mother (she has 4) and anyone could be schooled by her in this area. I still love watching her dance. Thanks, Traci for elbowing your way into this world. So glad you needed to be here.....for me for sure, but mostly for Lauri. Life just isn't the same without a sister. And speaking of sisters.....
 ...Emily is a sister too, and a mighty good one to Matty. It's her birthday today as well. Another big Happy Birthday to Emily.  She's 11 years old today.  I just spent four days with her in California.....what a delightful young woman she is turning out to be. Here's one of my favorite pictures of her.
To coin a phrase.....I hope life is always just "ducky" for you, Emily. (ducky: adjective \ˈdə-kē\
: very pleasing, delightful, or attractive. 
 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

"For those who come to San Francisco...

...be sure to wear some flowers in your hair"....or something like that. We didn't wear flowers in our hair but we sure saw some beautiful ones. I'll start out with one of my favorite parts of this city....this crazy street (Lombard Street). It's the "crookedest" street in America (our tour guide says it's the 2nd crookedest....Wall Street being the first.)
So glad we got to drive down it then stop and snap this pic.....some other highlights....
Just being there with my grand daughters was a treat. It's been a fun Spring Break for them (and me)....
...and this is always a must when you get to this city......as is Ghiradelli Square...
...and a hot fudge sundae....
We took a boat ride under the bridge and around Alcatraz and toured the Acquarium.....that was a first for me. Well worth the $$$.....very fascinating.
It's been a joy to have these visitors. Never a dull moment, just fun packed activity. We'd do it again for anyone that wants to join us. We finished with this day of relaxation, shopping, biking our trails and getting ready for the flight home. So glad these three were willing to join me here for a few days. I love it here with Randy but I really do miss my family. Thanks, Laynee, Maycee and Emily for letting me show you all my favorite stuff. We ended with a birthday lunch at B-Dubs for Emily.  These three can really pack in the wings!!!!!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Just so ya know....

....it's fun having my grand-daughters here with me and Randy (Randy and me) for a few days and we haven't wasted a minute.....see for yourself.
Started off on the Lake Natoma....
Photo shoot at the temple after church.....
A Sunday drive to Coloma....
A wee hike to the river at Dave Moore Park...a quick lesson in skipping rocks and climbin' on the rocks makes for a fun afternoon in nature.......
Laynee's first track meet of the season, Friday night before we left. More fun to come. Tune in later.