Nothin' like 62 young adults in your house....

.....to make you really appreciate your peace and quiet after they leave (and to feel like you have a very small house).....but I was glad to host the annual Dixie College 4th Ward Gingerbread House-making Contest and it was a success.

I think it was record attendance for FHE. The basement served us well once again and a good time was had by all. Clickity click HERE to read my "Ode to My Basement" from last year's post.

I had a bunch of them at the dining room table, some at the bar and it was like we were trying to see how many kids we could stuff into this 29 year-old house of mine (and they even took their shoes off. I didn't even have to ask). We've had many gatherings over the years from missionary farewell and homecoming dinners, Spencer's wedding luncheon, Hannah and Horace's wedding reception, birthday parties: "this ol' house" has served us well and I'm grateful for it....especially on these cold winter days when I can sit by my fire and look out the window and count my blessings. I hope you are staying warm......(this will be the last of my "Nothin' like....posts. I just thought I had a good theme going here but enough is enough.) Happy Holidays.....

Nothin' like a Saturday morning hike......

.....up Temple Quarry Trail to get the holidays rollin' since the only time I think I've ever hiked it is during the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday as our summers are too hot....so to me, it's a winter hike and it was a beautiful, a bit crispy, but perfect, little bit overcast hiking day and the sun did come out as we got to the top and could look down over the whole valley.

Most of these kids from my the Dixie College 4th Ward had never been on this teeny, tiny hike but they quite liked it. It's one of my favorites....(actually, probably because I don't go on too many but it's one I know I can do) so I'm always rarin' and ready to go and feel like a "real hiker" when I say, "heck, yeah, I'll go hikin' with ya......". Wonder what I'm gonna say next Spring when they announce they are headin' up Angel's Landing...."um....I'd love too, and I have hiked the Great Wall of China so I think I could do it and I've heard it's an awesome hike but....I've got..um....oh, yea, I've got to babysit that day...." but when they do the Subway, I don't make excuses. I made the decision a longgggggg time ago to NEVER do that one. I have my standards and I don't waiver. That's certainly not on MY bucket list. Saturday was a good day and a good way to get acquainted with the gang. I've had this calling since last March and I'm still struggling to learn names but I'm getting better......kudos to all you avid hikers out there. I admire you, you know I do and it's one of those things that I wished I loved but I don't.....I don't hate it but I don't love it either. But I do like the Temple Quarry Trail and will go with you anytime.....just give me a call. (Some of these kids veered off the trail a bit, one even went over the other side of the mountain to see what he could see. Click on the picture and see if you recognize any of them).

Nothin' like a chilly night at Tuacahn....

.....and some beautiful Christmas music from some of my favorite performers to get ya in the Holiday mood and they did not disappoint even if it was one of the coldest nights ever. Just a little plannin' ahead, a warm coat, gloves and a few blankets and it didn't seem to matter 'cause this is one of my very favorite things to do.....go to concerts of people that I love to listen to. Cherrie Miller called this afternoon with some tickets, some 2nd row tickets (my 2nd favorite thing to do is to be down front) and I didn't hesitate.

Wish you could have been there......It was amazing. I do love Tuacahn and when they lit up those red hills as Sam Payne and company sang "We Three Kings" (his version, inspiring) I can't think of any other words to describe it. Jenny Frogley's version of "O Holy Night" was the best ever and "Vocal Point", entertaining to say the least. Well folks.....I had a pretty good ol' time, in case you were wondering!!!!!

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The house is lookin' pretty festive....Now I just have to work on the inside. Thanks Lauri and James for puttin' up my lights.

Ya gotta start somewhere....

......and so we did. Our Scott Wells family traditions started on a nippy December day (the 1st or 2nd, still up for debate, no documentation available) in Logan, Utah where a couple of newly-weds cooked a little bacon in their stuffy, downstairs apartment and it stunk (or stinked) up the place so they headed outside into the sunny, crisp Logan air to eat their BLT's and the conversation started with...."we really do need to start some family traditions"....."well, it's Dec. 1 (or 2nd) and we're eating Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomatoe Sandwiches....so let's just do that every Dec. 1 (or 2nd) and call it a tradition".....so, I'm calling it a tradition and I'm going to eat one tomorrow. Join in if you'd like....they really are yummy and can be made with a lot of different variations...but I like mine on white toast with real mayo if I have it....Miracle Whip is an o.k. substitution but to me, it takes away from the pure flavor of the ingredients. Enjoy!!!!

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You know Christmas is here when they flip the switch at the Temple and I was there last Friday to see it happen and listen to the beautiful music and listen to Elder Wilkinson tell the story that Elder Holland tells about when his father passed away on Christmas Day.

I was touched by his remarks and was glad I was alone as I bawled my eyes out when he told of being in the hospital all alone with his father on Christmas Eve. I remembered a lonely Christmas Eve at LDS Hospital a few years back and, what can I say.....I was humbled. Christmastime brings a lot of tender emotions for our family.....and ironic that Dec. 23 is the day Scott arrived home after a Bone Marrow Transplant and Dec. 24 the date he entered for a Liver Transplant....thankfully....many years apart. I'm ready for the Christmas Season and hope we can all keep in our minds, our hearts and our lives.....the reason for the season. "Love so easily understands, what you can see is the smallest part; you don't need Christmas in your hands, when you have Christmas in your heart".

Just one last post...

.....before we change holidays. We did have a great Thanksgiving as I hope all of you did. Just posting a bit of proof that the festivities were enjoyed at our house. Lauri and James got my lights up and we all enjoyed an evening of Soya and CandyBar Bingo. I enjoy the feeling of the day, families coming together to celebrate the things for which we are thankful. Sometimes, it's a mixture of friends, in-laws, family....but the one thing we have in common is that in these hard times, we can still have good times and share in our gratitude for health and love for one another. (and good food.....)

After a quick lesson on the internet, James did a fine job of carving the bird......

Dinner is served......

We got together the night before the big day and enjoyed Lauri's Soya.....

.....and a rousing game of Candy Bar Bingo....Kyle showing off his winning stash.....

...and Matty is always a hit wherever she goes. Little Miller couldn't get his fill. I do have some pretty cute grand kids.

For the last seven years.....

......I have sat around this table for Thanksgiving....(well, not exactly every year; one year we went to a restaurant, and some of the years we had it at Mason and Mandy's apartment)....but I've been in Kentucky for the last 7 years and the plane took off without me this morning. Don't get me wrong; I'm happy to be here with my family but I have to admit that I'm missing my Kentucky kids a bit this morning. I used to take the kids to a motel on Thursday night and we'd just hang out and do whatever we wanted to do. Those were good times....but so are these and we have many, many things to be thankful for on this day. So, as I wander around today and try to figure out how to do "Thanksgiving" at home, I'm thinking of Spencer's family in Kentucky, and Traci and Russ and their family in Logan but I'm enjoying Lauri and James and Kyle and Mason's families here. Lots to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving one and all.

Over the river and through the woods....

...to grandmother's house we go......I have to let this song run through my mind a bit before I can really start humming "Jingle Bell Rock" and as I am wrapping my brain around the thoughts of dinner for 17 (at my house) I'm remembering "Thanksgivings Past" when Scott would volunteer our house for the Wells Clan to congregate. I never did mind, he did most of the work....

.......but now it's my turn (hosting my family) and believe me, I think I'd rather be going "....to grandmother's house" but she had a flood....and her house isn't quite back together yet so, though it won't be the same, it's here and hopefully we can do it up right for her.

......a Thanksgiving memory: congregating downstairs for the Wells Family Talent show, always very interesting. I do miss those times. I remember having the Wells Thanksgiving in Grandma Wells' back yard. We even had it in our backyard one year (ya gotta love Southern Utah weather) and invited several of Scott's college kids over. Lots of fun memories and the one I remember most was that Scott would take the kids with him to rake someone's leaves, a widow in the ward or a yard at Grandview.....something to keep the kids busy before dinner. Then at my mom's, the kids would rake the leaves and play in them. Sad to say, that tree is gone now....seems its roots were the cause of her flood and had to go this past week. Change is never easy but inevitable and as we remember those family traditions, there are a few things that don't change. Hopefully our gratitude and love for our family will endure the test of time....and as you count your blessings this coming Thursday, you may want to listen to this little ditty by Johnny Cash.....click HERE to enjoy..... and to my family and friends that may read this...."I am thankful for you."

Happy Birthday JoEllen.....

....mother of my newest and very darling grand daughter. Here's hoping you have a great day!!!

Our family vacation nine years ago......

......was one big engagement party. Happy Anniversary today, Mason and Mandy.

There are so many reasons to not like Disneyland....

.....but I, for one, choose to find reasons to love it. It's crowded, and gotten moreso over the years but the thrill is still to find that "perfect" day to be there to avoid the crowds. Not possible any more but it's fun to learn to "embrace" the other thousands that love the place as much as I do. Talk to them, meet them, find out why they are there and where they come from. I have to admit, I've met more friendly people there than cantankerous ones. Most of them, like me, want it to remain "the Happiest Place on Earth" even though the odds are against it as time goes on. I choose to continue to enjoy my favorite things like Churros, Fritters, Space, Splash and Soaring....and ignore the workers who can't even pretend it's the happiest place on earth and I totally know and see that people abuse the system (wheelchairs and jazzies for the lazy) and that some butt in line, but I will continue to smile as I walk through the gates and feel the spirit that Walt Disney created so many years ago. It's still as magical to me as the first time I went in the mid 50's. I'll have to admit, it's all in the attitude and I still have a "Disneyland Attitude". (Clickity click on this collage for the full effect.)

Enough already.....I'll just go to sleep.....

I couldn't be in Disneyland on my birthday....

......but we made sure we were there for Scott's.....we celebrated his 60th birthday in "The Happiest Place on Earth".....and I'm sure he would have been right there with us in the Tiki Hut just sittin' and relaxin' and letting everyone get out there and ride the rides and have a great time while he sat with the babies watching the birdies sing. That's how he rolled and he loved it and made sure we had a family vacation at least once a year. I'll post more later.....

I had a great time with the kids, we got in everything we love and even saw some of the grandkids brave "Tower of Terror" and "Space Mountain". I think we all made it to the Tiki Hut and had a Pineapple Whip. The weather was amazing, the crowds reasonable and the babies did great. All in all, a great trip.....gettin' sweeter by the day. Thanks, guys for a great time and for inviting this old lady along for the ride. (Back to the previous post: I was asked what my answer would be to Scott's favorite movie and as I've thought about it, I'm not sure which would be his all-time favorite but the one I caught him watching a lot was "Pure Country" with George Strait. I don't think he would have wanted anyone to know his leaning toward country but I think he enjoyed the music and the storyline....a very sweet love story. He really was a sucker for "chick flicks". I didn't watch many movies with him as I have "Movie ADD" and could never make it through a whole movie plus I didn't like his choices but I did watch a few with him and made him watch a few with me. He got really mad when I made him watch "My Life" with Michael Keaton. He didn't speak to me for a few days and didn't talk about it since. It was a tear jerker and hit a little too close to home for him I guess.) No one mentioned how much he loved Disney movies. I think he cried while watching Mulan (did I spell that right?) Another P.S. One of the first movies I went to with him when we were dating was "Sound of Music" and he cried.)

Seen a good movie lately?......

On Monday, November 16, Scott G. Wells would have been 60 years old and today I want to honor him by remembering one of his favorite things to do: retire to our "lower 40", settle in with anyone that would join him (or he'd be totally content to be alone) and watch a favorite movie. He could watch the same one over and over again so I sent out a family e-mail a few years back to see if any of the kids knew his favorite movie and I want to share that particular family e-mail with blog world. Question: What is dad's favorite movie:

Traci's answer:

Dad's favorite movie before the restriction on rated R was "Last of the Mohicans" because one night when I was about 10 years old it was only him and me at home and he wanted to watch it so bad that he let me watch it with him. But I believe his favorite actor is Harrison Ford.

Spencer's Answer:

My guess for Dad's favorite movie it would probably have to be "The Shawshank Redemption"....and I think his favorite actor was Sir Anthony Hopkins...which then leads me to believe that his favorite movie was in fact, "The Mask of Zorro"...Honestly, how often did Dad go to the movie theater to see a movie (the answer to that is "rarely"), but he liked Zorro so much that I believe he went to the theater 3 times! That was very uncharacteristic of Dad and that's my final guess (but I'm pretty sure on the Anthony Hopkins answer...I remember him talking about him. After he had read Bram Stoker's "Dracula" I asked him if he wanted to see the movie, and he didn't really care to, but I mentioned that it had Anthony Hopkins...He thought about it, but I saw it first and it was not a good movie so he abstained)...anyway.......

Lauri's answer:

I am going to agree with my sister that dad's favorite movie was "Last of the Mohicans." In his later non-rated R movie years I'm going to guess his favorite movie was "American President". He may not have wanted to admit it but there were a few chick flicks I watched many a times with him and that one we watched a lot, but Spencer makes a good argument with the Zorro and the theater sightings, so I don't know.
Mason's Answer:

I totally forgot about Anthony Hopkins and "Mask of Zoro", but honestly, he let his 10 year old daughter watch an R rated movie with him just because he wanted to watch it so bad, I'm stickin' with "Last of the Mohicans"......but I really think Dad's favorite movie would have to be "The Doctor" because he used to watch that one when there was nothing else to watch. I put that as my answer because I thought that he might have told mom that it was his favorite, maybe at dinner one night back in the day. Among his others would be some action flicks like "True Lies" with Arnold S. and "Mask of Zorro". The first movie I watched when I came home from my mission was that one and it was at his request.

Kyle's Answer:

Dad's favorite movie was "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." We used to watch that movie late at night and he would wake the whole house up with laughter. There was one scene in that movie that got him laughing so loud that he fell off the couch.

One thing we all agree on is that we enjoyed watching him enjoy his favorite movies, sometimes, every day of the week (the same movie) and we especially enjoyed his laughter. I remember him laughing so loud while watching "Home Alone" in German (we were in Switzerland) I had to quiet him down so the other hotel guests wouldn't complain. So....this Monday, dust off one of your old favorite flicks, pop some corn, pour a Pepsi....and think of Scott.

The ring is on the finger....

.....and the smiles are on the faces. Lauri and James for....ev.....r.......CONTRATS you two. We couldn't be happier. Let the pictures tell the story. Lauri will fill in the details later.

........let the planning begin.

It's all in the book.....It's good to have something to blog about again. It's been a bit of a dry spell but things are gettin' excitin' around here. Stay tuned.....more to come. Oh, happy day.

Oh, oh.....who are the people in your neighborhood.....

(sing along with me, you know the old Sesame Street Song)....."in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, oh....who are the people in your neighborhood.....the people that you meet each day......"

"He's my neighbor and he mows my laaawn......Carol Ann my friend she is his maaawm....

Tri...a...tha...lons...have been his life....now Sara said she'd be his wife." (are you still singing?....)

CONGRATULATIONS Jeff and Sara....they're getting married on Saturday.......(in the picture above, Jeff's in the middle and these 3 started the "Buff Club" back in the day. Jeff's the only one that's stayed true to the motto......

Meet some more of my awesome neighbors.....

"We've lived here many, many years....we've shared a lot of joy and tears....

While other people move away, we've all decided here to stay....."

(Carol Ann is in town for the wedding. She and Larry are Mission Presidents in Billings, Montana but she got to come home for a few days....so we had brunch and got caught up...and today was Mary's birthday.

And yet some more neighbors.....(I can't hear you....keep on singing with me....)

"My Home Teachers monthly come to call.....Summer, Winter, Spring and in the Fall....

For 16 years they've helped me through...they do just what I ask them to...."

I just want to pay tribute to a model home teacher, Tony Wittwer who has come faithfully for over 16 years. He even called me regularly while on my mission. Each of his 3 sons have joined him through the years. I'm surrounded by amazing people.....and my gratitude goes out to the people in my neighborhood for making it such a great place to raise my family. (Big finish here)......"Oh....these are some people in my neighborhood, in my neighborhood, in my neighborhood.....yes, these are the people in my neighborhood.....the people that I meet each day." (Cheeze overdose....sorry..... but thanks for singing along).

A family gathering to welcome the new little one...

....is always a treat and Matty's baby blessing was just that. A very rewarding day for a parent t0 watch this ordinance bring the families together.

JoEllen's parents and her sisters and their families and Mason and Traci and their families were there along with my mother to witness this blessing pronounced on little Matty by her father.

Four generations......