Lately, it takes a birthday.....

...for me to get to my blog. Lots of reasons, maybe I'll go into those later but the birthday of which I speak, is none other than Lauri's....(tomorrow, Aug. 18) and anyone that knows anything about me knows that I waited a long time to get a little girl and when she arrived, you'd have thought I was the only person in the world that had a baby girl. She is as wonderful today as she was the first day we met and has turned out to be everything a parent could ever hope for....wonderful daughter, first and foremost to me but to James, an amazing wife and to Lucy, Molly and Louis, the coolest mom everrrrr. She's also the sweetest grand-daughter as she's helped out with my mom this past summer. She truly is going to be missed as she and James head on to their new adventure in Northern Utah as he has taken on a job with "Kids on the Move". So go here to read of their adventures.....https://www.facebook.com/lauri.w.stewart and maybe HERE where she houses her blog.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Lauri. Can't wait to celebrate with you and celebrate "YOU" and the wonderful person you are. Good luck to you and James on your new adventure. I will miss you and my house will miss you. It's gonna be lonely around here but there comes a time we all gotta move on. I love you and appreciate all you do for me.
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And now to what I will call "Month in Review" as it's been a while. I'll start with the most current which was a wonderful week-end with Mason and Mandy at Lake Powell.....one of my very most favorite annual family adventures. It was Matty's first trip...she always had to stay home because she was too little...it started out awesome!!!!! Actually, I love this picture but the truth is, she was first to go on the tube and didn't know what she was getting into but she did it and Maycee and Emily were troopers to try and make her enjoy the ride.....

She was brave though.....and when I told her I was scared to go and I needed her and Miller to go with me on a "Grandma Ride".....she knew it would be slower and she could help me be brave.

I wasn't pretending to be scared either....I was, but Mason took it slow for the most part. However.....Mandy was about the only one that could go crazy and Emily wasn't sure she wanted to be on the crazy ride. This was a little scarier tube as you sit more on top of it than down in it. Needless to say, the kids chose other activities....it was fun though and no one got hurt.

These two were the hit of the trip....always together, always talking, always playing and Matty taking care of Miller. He would lay on her lap and she would stroke his hair, such a little mother. I loved, loved, loved watching them.

Mandy schooled George on the chair ski....and he took off. Such a cute kid and had a blast conquering this one.

The favorite is always the knee board as everyone can do it....

It's always a favorite to just stay around the houseboat and chill, swim or play on the paddle boards that are new this year. I was even determined to conquer it....and I did. Can't say I love it but I can do it. I'll take my kayak....'d rather sit and paddle than stand and paddle, but that's just me.

Our beach breaks were fun....Kyle's missing in most of the pictures. He has a back injury so laid pretty low on this trip (lower left)...he kind of just blends into the rock. Spent a lot of time there while we boated.

Just some random pictures on the boat. It's my favorite....I could ride all day, every day and be perfectly happy. My favorite spot is up front just letting the wind rip and feeling the water spray on my face. (Middle Left) Miller made sure he had a pretty good dose of sun screen.

Then there's cliff jumping....oh, my. I'm always glad when this one is done but they all love it. Another favorite activity at Powell is fishing....not real serious fishing, just off the edge of the houseboat fishing and it was awesome.....

We are pretty sure we caught the same catfish about three times....but it was fun. 

So there you have it....another year at Powell. I'm sure I've got more pictures but I always take so many that it's hard to get through them all so check back later and I'll post a few more.

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I've enjoyed some good time in Pine Valley and the boys are doing some wonderful improvements that I'll post when I get the pictures but I was able to attend the Wells Family Reunion which was also Mark's 80th birthday and Marian conned me into singing with her and with the help of Emily and George we made it through. It was also the Annual Family Dutchoven Cook-Off and I don't know what got into me but I've never participated....I'm just good with showing up and eating everyone's food but this year I decided to throw together my favorite casserole (Stovetop Stuffing, veggies, Cream of Chicken Soup and some cheese) and put it in a little dutch oven and cook for 350 in my oven for about an hour.  I probably wasn't even eligible to win but I don't think the other winners were either but it was fun.....

(Bottom Right): Notice how the rest of the contestants slave over their entries....no need. I called it Golden Garden Harvest Casserole and when John saw that name, he just laughed at me and I told him to take a look at the judges.....(elderly members from the Pine Valley Ward, they love veggies) so he named his Golden Garden Harvest Thai Chicken but it didn't help.....good try, John. It was a really fun birthday celebration/family reunion.

Fun, family times celebrating the life of a good man. Mark was a father figure to Scott....their dad died when Scott was only 16 and Mark was 16 years older than him. We've looked to them for so many things in our married life and he and Marian took us in when we were young, starving students. He has been a strength to our family so it was great to be able to celebrate this occasion with him. He and Marian are the King and Queen of Party...and it certainly did not disappoint. I especially loved the live band that Marian had come and play all evening....even got into a little Virginia Reel.

It was fun to go over to Judd and Janice's and watch the kids skim in the irrigation water....epic skimming skills in the making.....and speaking of the S. Wells family, we have a star amongst us......Laynee made the news yesterday.

This was in the sports section of yesterday's Spectrum speaking of the Desert Hills Cross Country Team. Way to go Laynee....it's going to be fun watching you this year. I spent some time with these kids while their parents went to Scotland and it was a pleasure. 

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The family gathered for some wonderful ordinances at the first of the month.

Evan turned 8 and we all gathered for his big day....and then a luau at his house. What a wonderful occasion to bring family from both sides together in honor of his decision to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Evan is a fine young man and I'm proud to call him my grandson. The next day we blessed little Louis James....

He was given a name and a blessing by his father, James Stewart and then we all gathered in his honor for a light lunch. Such wonderful occasions to celebrate. Randy and I both had new grandbabies this past summer. Unfortunately, they were blessed on the same day, his in Salt Lake and mine here in St. George so welcome to the world, Roman Joseph Alsop (son of Joey and Megan Reber Alsop) and Louis James Stewart, son of James and Lauri Wells Stewart.

Very proud grandparents....

Because families gather for these great ordinances, they also have a lot of fun. Traci's family came with her family and it was one big party....

Pool party at Mason's....always willing to host a party at anyone's will and we willed it so happen it did.

Can't have a summer without a gathering or two at Pine Valley....

....and now, we have a children's museum. Woo...hoo....always something to do. Love it when the Staheli's come for a visit. Partay....all day. This blog is a bit discombobulated but a lot happened in the month of July but back to the beginning of the month with the 4th....and this is how we do the Fourth of July in our family. Same every year.... this year, we also welcomed Kyle and JoEllen and their family back from Hawaii. 

Pizza and root beer at mom's....watching fireworks from the street. Tradition....tradition. I'm sure I'm not through but that's it for now. I'm not ever going to get this far behind again. Just gotta hand it to my wonderful family and to Randy that gives me the freedom to spend time with them. I've been able to help out with mom, babysit for Spencer and Shana while they went to Scotland and helped Traci while she and Russ had their first ever (for a long time anyway) get-a-way and saw a lot of baseball, did a lot of swimming and just plain had a good ol' time with my fam. Consider July documented....for the books. Over and out. 

My #9 is 8 today....

...and there isn't a tree he won't try to climb...

...especially this summer as he has become part Hawaiian....and very daring on land and on sea...

He's clever, inquisitive, creative....always figuring out what he can do with whatever he sees...sometimes not worrying about consequences but always on the go with a story to tell. He has no fear....sometimes a good thing but sometimes not. Never a dull moment when you're with this little guy and he can't wait for Saturday when he will be baptized....there will be more on him later. I do love Evan..and to him, a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY today. I'm sure he will make it a good. one. There's always a party when he is around.

I didn't want to do it....

...but I'm so glad he made me go along as he knew he would die young (13 years ago tomorrow at age 51) and he wanted to see what he could of the world. In 1989, he announced we were going back to Finland, 20 years after he had served  his mission there. I didn't want to leave the kids....but thanks to my babysitting mom and dad, I went; scared to death, afraid of flying at that time and dreadfully afraid of being gone from my children for that long but I'm so glad we went and to aid in calming my fear of flying, we accidentally got first class....

...not a good thing for a first flight across the ocean as the expectations are immediately set way high.....but it was awesome; even more amazing than a wonderful flight, we were able to walk the streets he walked and meet some of the people he came to love on his mission....including Sister Janis....his one and only baptism.

Many tender mercies happened that evening as we set out looking for her...more than coincidence and this is the scene as we drove to her summer home after we had just happened upon a baptism and someone that knew where we could find her. Oh, the joy.....something I will always remember and treasure forever. Only the beginning of our travels though....each year he would save and pay cash for our adventures with fellow Veterinarians on top-notch tours....first to Scotland where I was told we WILL NOT see Spencer....(on his mission).

....(upper left) but we did, then to Switzerland, Spain, Holland, and Belgium. He showed me the world.....and taught me to love travel and adventure. He loved the sights, sounds but mostly the tastes that each of these places offered. I'm so grateful for these wonderful memories with this amazing husband and father of my children who learned from him to enjoy God's gifts to us through nature. Actually, it all began soon after we were married when he taught me to ski....

When he realized my favorite part of a skiing day was the hot chocolate and tuna sandwiches at lunchtime, I think it all of a sudden became o.k. that we couldn't afford the sport....but I did learn it and am grateful for that adventure as well. I can say..."I used to ski"....because of him. He always saw to it that we had camping adventures (even buying me a camp trailer so I would go). He would be so proud of me now, camping, kayaking, hiking....and loving it. I do think he sent me Randy to keep me "out there" enjoying nature. Interesting that all of our family vacations would happen this time of year...(it was convenient to close the office on July 24). Here we are on our family cruise July 20-24, 1998....

I'm pretty sure he wants us all to do this again next year in his honor.....it would be great if he were here to pay for it. Actually, I don't think he would. He might offer to buy a dinner or two but he'd make each of the kids pay for their own so we must start saving (if I knew how to put a smiley face with a wink here, I would:)

He loved his family....wanted them to be together. He would be right in the middle of all these grand kids with me......

...and going to these baseball games with me (Seth and McKay's All-Star games in Cedar)....

...and sitting on the porch in Pine Valley watching this......

...but most of all, he would have been helping me babysit and lovin' every minute of it. 

 Sure do miss this good man who left us way too early but the lessons we all learned from him will be forever etched in our hearts. Thanks to each of my awesome 5 children who are living as he taught them to live. Let's really do that vacation next year!!!! 2015 Disney Cruise (or that cheap one out of LA will be fine) HERE WE COME!!!

A day to celebrate...

...as 15 years ago today, I became a grandma....for "when a child is born, so is a grandmother" and I was privileged to spend the first year of her life, three days a week, holding her while she napped. Laynee Jane Wells, beautiful inside and out, and good to the core.

She's a runner, both Cross Country and Track and mighty good at it...but she's good at a lot of things but mostly at being nice.

This one is for the book....I'm with my oldest and my youngest, #1 and #18. Happy Birthday to my Laynee Jane and "welcome to our world", Louis James.

I'm tired....

...maybe I'll just go lay in the sand.

...or play in a pool...

....or just watch the grand-kids play in the pool!

We've been waiting all week, (actually, Lauri's been waiting 9 months) for this little one to arrive. We thought he would enter the world last Tuesday but yesterday was the day.....

Louis James Stewart, born on Monday, June 16....5:59 p.m. weighing in at 8 lbs. 13 oz. Cute as a button (are buttons cute?)....Louis is.

The girls are pleased with little brother....Lucy wants to pet him and Molly wants to gouge his eyes out.

I missed Father's Day.....sometimes one just doesn't feel like blogging but I'd like to pay a special tribute to the Father's in my life....especially the fathers of my grandchildren....everyone of them are super dads. This is a very rare occasion where they will all be in one picture so I must include it here.

Yep, it took all of their strength to haul the statue from the dump....glad we made it a photo op. Great guys, every one of them. Hope they were properly honored on their day. Shana had a birthday on Father's Day and she was in Hawaii....and Laynee's is coming up. So, if I don't get back for a while, Happy Belated Birthday to Shana and Happy Upcoming Birthday to Laynee.

An interesting mother/daughter moment after Laynee's photo-finish second at one of her track meets. Seriously, Laynee's tears are totally tears of triumph.....amazing moment. Say all you want about my camera in your face, I'm glad I captured this one. Happy Birthday you two. So glad you are in my life. Please take a moment to visit JoEllen's blog as they've had a wonderful summer in Hawaii and some really awesome pictures reside at this site....wanderingwellsclan.blogspot.com.

On the road again....

......oh, it's great to be on the road again....NOT!!! Actually, I don't really mind it once I'm in my car with a good "book on tape"....then the time whizzes by but the anticipation of such a long trip, annoys me; but it's my life right now as I await Lauri's new little one to arrive. My memoir has a new title...."My Two Lives".....and they are two really good lives. I love being with my family in SG but I love being with my husband in Folsom, so me and my book on tape will continue to travel the 99 as many times as necessary. After Hawaii, (arrived home Tues. night) then I flew to Las Vegas and shuttled to SG (on Thurs.) to get my car then headed up to Scott's baptism in Bountiful (Saturday then back to SG on Mon. then drove to Folsom on Thurs. whew.....).

Russ baptized and they invited Traci's Uncle Gawain to confirm him. I'm very proud of this young man and the choices he is making. It was a very good day. I enjoyed a couple of days with the Staheli Family.....

...those long Sunday afternoons get a bit boring, but not at this household. (Traci is such a good "boy mom"). I was able to head up the road and visit Jake's family. (He was my boss when I was on my mission and I hadn't seen them in a while. Love them tons....their oldest daughter Emily is missing here as she headed out to a Volleyball Camp but I did get to see her before she left.)

I didn't get a picture, but I did get to go check in on John and Diana. Monday we enjoyed a birthday lunch and shopping trip with my two birthday boys......and they are enjoying their Legos.

Speaking of birthdays....James has one today. Happy Birthday to a great son-in-law, James Stewart. So grateful he is in our family and that he and Lauri are in my house. It is so good to see that birthday sign there on my mantle.....and James enjoying his little girls. Looks like they are gonna party today.

So, I'm back in Folsom just waiting for news of a new baby coming to this family. Lauri is due in a week or so....but we all hope he will arrive early so, I'm ready to head back down 99 at a moments notice. Speaking of books on tape.....I had an interesting experience that I'd like to share here as it made me smile. I was looking for something and saw this at Deseret Book......

Didn't think much of it but when it got time to go in to Amazon.com and find me a book on tape, this came up.....and I thought it was the one I had seen at Deseret Book...(similar titles and my memory just ain't what it used to be.)

I was excited to download it and get reading....but.....as I got to listening to this one, I soon became suspicious that this one would be sold at Deseret Book....and it was such a coincidence that it just happened to be based on the Joseph Smith/Lincoln connection but the Mormons were kind of portrayed as the bad guys so when I got home, I did some investigation and realized I had downloaded the wrong book. Anyway, I did enjoy it....it kept me very entertained and got me to wondering about the concepts he brought up. I could tell that this author was not Mormon....but had done some mighty fine research....got some of it right but most of it.....well, let's just say, it had me shaking my head when I thought it was sold at Deseret Book. So there you have it....my book review for the day. I will be anxious to download the right one next time....but for now, I'll finish this one and probably get some more Steve Berry books. Very good listens for that 12 hour stint. Let me know if you have a good read (or listen) for me. I'll be needing quite a few this summer.