Joy abounds....

this week as the beautiful colors slowly fade into piles of leaves on the property but each day finds me chasing the sun......

"The Message, the Meaning and the Multitude".

...and finding my perch to do my "procrastiknitting" for a few hours in the sun. Beautiful day today and so much peace fills my soul here in Pine Valley. I feel so blessed to call this home. This past week found me listening to the sessions of conference I missed because of the St. George Marathon on conference Saturday and I was surprised to see that it started out with everyone's favorite, especially mine, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Message, the Meaning and the Multitude" and this talk reiterated to me the importance of church attendance each Sunday and mingling with the saints to be refreshed and uplifted each week......BTW.....I SAW ELDER HOLLAND TODAY just being a normal person and shopping at Harmon's with a very black jacket and very dark sunglasses. He was all alone in the same isle I was in and I didn't want to make a big deal but I couldn't just pass him by so I said with a big smile on my face...."you really think you can hide behind those glasses?" He just smiled, shook my hand and said "you're looking well".  Made my day.  I'm sure they just want to be ordinary once in a while but these men are NOT ordinary. They are called of God to lead us and guide us through the "din and drumbeat of our days".  Sisters and brothers, through the incessant din and drumbeat of our day, may we strive to see Christ at the center of our lives, of our faith, and of our service. That is where true meaning lies. And if some days our vision is limited or our confidence has waned or our belief is being tested and refined—as surely it will be—may we then cry out the louder, “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.”¹² I promise with apostolic fervor and prophetic conviction that He will hear you and will say, soon or late, “Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.”¹³ Welcome to general conference. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.   

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It's almost birthday time, My New Year......and I won't be here. I'm pleased that Lauri told me she would miss me but Halloween is steeped in tradition in the Wells Fam so I'm going to celebrate early for my family with witches brew and the whole nine yards. This is one of my favorite traditions and we did it at Lauri's last year but this year, it's here in Pine Valley......

....we will be headed to Southern California for Randy's daughter's wedding and we are so very thrilled about it. Stephen is a really special guy and after all these years of being a single mom raising a kid, she has found gold and we are excited to go celebrate with her.

Congrats to Ashley and Stephen......family is what it's all about.

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Speaking of family, for the books and memories I want to post about the Wells' Family Reunion this past summer. Nancy, Rachel and the northern Wellses did a great job and kept us hoppin' for a couple of days. We began by meeting at the Provo City Temple where the adults did sealings and the kids did baptisms. So special to be in the sealing room with Scott's brothers and their wives and families. 

Then lots of great food and laughter at Rachel and Kevin's beautiful back yard.....lots of fun pics with the "Picture Treasure Hunt".......

.....tubing down the Provo River. Story.....I want to remember that as Randy and I were heading to the reunion, I caught a ride with Spencer as Randy was already up north and we were talking about the activities and I mentioned that I probably wouldn't be going to the temple and Spencer said "Mom....I'd like you in the temple" and so I went and was very glad I did and I told this story to my family and when it got time for the river tubing once again I was going to opt out until Kyle said..."if Spencer can say he wants you in the temple, I can say I'd like you to float the river with us"......and so I did.  These people we love have so much power over us, we do pretty much what they want us to. After the floating, we headed to a park and enjoyed some great food and a pie contest of which JoEllen won making our mom's lemon meringue pie recipe. Lots of good memories and so glad I married into this wonderful Wells Clan. We all had t-shirts with the Wells cattle brand and at the end, Greg and Nancy had hired someone to make the Wells brand and we all got to stamp it on a bread board.  I will post more pics as I find them.  Such a fun reunion.....guess we have to at least equal next year here in Pine Valley.

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Here's my beautiful home, pics taken on October 24, 2019.....very pretty.

 The evenings are so pretty here and the leaves are falling quickly getting ready for next season....

WINTER....We're ready.

 This what I've looked at this past month as I sit by my fire that Randy makes for me every morning....

This is taken off my upstairs deck.  Just can't get enough of this but it's about over.  

Marathon time.....

....is family time and maybe that's why I love it but I had 5 precious family members running this year and in past years I haven't put forth the effort to support but this year was the exception. I do love hosting the runners each year.......

...including the following: Jared, Mason, Mandy, Kyle, Laynee, Spencer and Mason's friends from South Jordan. It's fun to gather 'round the fire and feel of their angst and energy for the evening and then get up early and drive them to the line in Central and then head on to town to welcome them as they cross about the 24 mile point at Diagnonal (Janice's corner), snap a few pics, then head home to finish Conference.  I didn't try to go the finish line as the angst and energy of all the people there gets to me but I'm sorry I didn't.  I'll have to remember to put forth a little more effort next year. My people all finished with great times.....Kyle being the last but with not much training his athleticism carries him across the line a little over 4 hours.  He's been running since '91 taking a bit of a mid-life crisis rest but once you do it, you have to keep doing it, so they say. Every year I tell myself I'm going to train but it comes and goes and I can't even make myself get outside and walk. My watch reminds me to stand up every hour and that's about how often I have to go pee so I get credit for that and after each day, I've put in enough activity to close the red circle but the yellow exercise one seldom comes close to closure. Room for improvement is always good, right?

Here are my runners. Crazy kids but I always admire someone with passion and most of these people have it. This was Laynee's first because she's been in X-Country and her coach wouldn't let her but she did great, sore for 4 days but alive and well.  Love these runners of mine. Deep down I'm sure there's a runner in me, and that's where they get it......I wish.  I always say "I wish I wanted to run". This week-end led to a short family reunion. Mason is the only one that doesn't live here so when he comes to town, it's a party......thanks to Lauri, and pictures thanks to me. I know they hate it but I love it. Only missing George (missionary) but he was there in our hearts.

Love my grandkid line up.

I sure love this family of mine. Our one hour family reunions are the best....we eat, we talk, we laugh, we take pics then we go home. The best. Who says a family has to tolerate each other for a whole week.....not me.

We celebrated Mason's birthday and Matty got him this shirt because he refused to hug the last time they went to get their dental work done. Typical Mason but he's just hiding that sweet, generous heart that he shows everyone unless you are on his "Reasons Not to be Friends With You" list. We all love and laugh at his gruffness because we know it's just him hiding his vulnerability....and speaking of handsomeness.....Woody Harrelson look-a-like Russ, participated on Wall Street with his successful business.......Health Catalysts....and Mel Gibson look-a-like.......

.....Kyle was spotted at Orange Peel and the paparazzi took advantage of his cuteness. I saw a quote a while back that said.......

"No matter what life throws at me, at least I don't have ugly kids.......................... and I'm here to say, I have the cutest grand kids too, 20 of them and as enamored as I am with Pine Valley, all four seasons..................,

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my "enamoredness" spills over to my grandkids and these dollies. I was going to leave this for another post but why......I'm here and posting and nothing is in order because I procrastinated my summer away so here ya go with an amazing overdose of cuteness.

Molly wanted an American Girl doll.....so I got her one for her birthday and it was such a hit, the kids couldn't leave it alone so I decided "Lola" needed some friends so I got her some. They are having a blast and yesterday I even got Louis "Gabe". No pics yet but they really seem to love them. I loved dolls when I was a kid and I have all of them still. I told these kids that if they take care of them, their grandkids can enjoy them as I did. So here's to dolls....and tho they are not really dolls, I've been crocheting bears. The first one was in February when I was staying with Spencer's kids. I made one and Seth said "I want one"......I was quite surprised but I made him one and that started me making each grand child one for their birthday. I loved it because I was able to make it specifically for that child and it brought me loads of joy. When I started thinking too hard about it, it seemed "cheesy" but then I decided, it was more for me than them. I loved "making" something that would be unique and only from me.....so they each have a bear like this one to put on their shelf and hopefully remember a grandma that loves them "beary" much.

Then Max commissioned me to make him some "Gorbs"......which he sold for a buck to his friends. Soon everyone of them were putting in their orders. I love making stuff, and even more when the people I love want the stuff I make.

I'm making headway of capturing the summer. I'll head on to my crocheting, making scarves for my missionary, and more bears and blankets for the dolls. There's always something to do here in Pine Valley. I've been reading "My Dear Hamilton" and "Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties" and I've enjoyed Tad Callisters "A Case for the Book of Mormon" and Pres. Nelsons "Insights". More to come...........

Procrastination.....

....is my sin, it brings me endless sorrow. I really must stop doing it, in fact, I'll stop tomorrow. Well, it's today and here I am over 4 months (a whole summer) since I last blogged and so much of the summer stuff will be forgotten but I will remember some of the best. The very best.....as if I haven't said this before is living in Pine Valley. I have loved coming here all my life but I always had to go home. I could never call Pine Valley my home....but now I can and it gets sweeter every day.  I've gradually been able to let go of the negative voices in my head that "I'm not good enough for this place and that we can't take care of it like Spence and Josephine did" but I'm realizing that I'm taking care of it as good as I can and Randy is a great support and WE DON'T HAVE TO GO HOME. This is home. At first I needed everyone to love it as much as me....but now I don't. It doesn't matter but it sure brings a smile when I know this place brings a smile to someone. It's my place of peace and contentment almost to a fault. I don't like to stray too far from home. Lake Tahoe was nice and I'm grateful that we had the means to go there (a time share) but I was really anxious to get home.  I don't mind going to town but boy do I love heading back up that road. I'm most happy when I share my beautiful surroundings with family.....and I do know my grand kids love this place.

Lauri and James were having a gratitude lesson and this is what Louis is thankful for and I love it so much.  And part of what I love about it is that there are 4, yes you heard me, FOUR definite seasons and I love each one of them. Summer was so awesome and I will get to some of the fun we had but now it's Fall....and I'm having fun each day watching the leaves change color outside every window.

 These are some of the first color changes and we are high enough that ours change a bit before any of the trees down lower in the valley......

...and I love checking out my porch each day to see which ones have turned.  Randy painted the porch and it's so nice having it cleared out and looking nice and new. This is looking out my upstairs window.....today October 15 and 3:06 p.m.

The sun shines so bright on the yellow (the pic doesn't do it justice) and the sky is so blue....a perfect fall day and I get to be in the middle of it.

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Changing gears here for just a minute....we said goodbye to Randy's baby brother, Larry.  Monday night he had a terrible scooter accident and passed away from injuries. The funeral was wonderful and I was so proud of Randy and Tara for holding it together to give nice tributes to this fine man. He will be so missed by everyone.

He was the youngest of 6 and the first to go....not fair but haven't we all learned that life isn't fair and Larry would want you to..... "Look for something positive in every day, even if some days you have to look a little harder."   

Cute family: Josephine and Spencer - Mike, Randy, Jeff, Abby, Chris and Larry

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 Let me "leave" you this day with the most amazing sight in my front yard this day, October 15, 2019. I have so much to get caught up on but here's a little treat for ya today.....Fall overload for sure......

May finally went away......

...but not before snowing almost every day.  I never complain.  I love a good excuse to stay indoors and read or knit or sleep and I never like to rush the seasons so it was all ok with me. Here's May.

May 1st....top right, May 10th top left and May 20th bottom.  My snow on the porches didn't melt until the last day of may and the voila.......this is June.

Crazy but fun. We need the water. May brought not only snow but lots of fun......
....we were all Scott and Jake's groupies as they performed with their band doing the songs of Queen. I have pics but I can't find them will post later. It was really amazing and so fun to watch them as they work so very hard on their music.

Kaila's graduation and Randy's family reunion was fun. We met at Megan's house for food and fun and Saturday we went to the park for Cliff and Tessa's wedding vows.

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My girls took me to lunch for Mother's Day. They gave me a Skylight and I love it.  My kids can send pictures to pinevalleygrandma@ourskylight.com and it goes to this cute frame that I have placed on my piano and I can see it whenever I walk by and it alerts me when new photos have been sent. Now I need to get them all on board and send me lots of photos. This is what Spencer sent me for Mother's Day.  I love it.

One of my favorite things has always been to watch my girls dance and now I'm watching their girls. They all had the same dance company so it really was a funfilled night with these beauties. 

June is bustin' out all over and we're finally enjoying some spring flowers and weather. The streams are filled to capacity and we should have a very good summer with lots of water.  Randy and I just took a little jaunt to Pinto in the Cat and enjoyed a picnic and basking in the sun. These are the flowers that just came on my Japanese flower tree. They weren't there yesterday. This place is so magical.

 I have been reading Larry's dad's history that he wrote and what a nice tribute to him and amazing information about their early days in Pine Valley. Not that I don't just adore this place, but it made me appreciate even more what the Gardner and other family's did to make it possible for all of us true fans to live here.

I am truly grateful for my mountain home. I love it so much. I can't even put into words how much peace and comfort I find here. As I was sick most of the month of May, I have enjoyed finally feeling better and appreciating my good health and the happiness I find here. I just love Pine Valley.

Juror # 55.....

....that would be me showing up for Jury Duty a week ago Monday at the audacious hour of 8:30 in the morning along with 70 other jurors, some seasoned, some newcomers like me but we were there and did what we were told. First off, it's a murder case......is there anyone who isn't o.k. with that and that's where I should have raised my hand but heck no.....a Dateline episode come to life....I'm in. So for the rest of the day, 8 hours to be exact we were questioned, issued oaths, one at a time told about ourselves....where we live, what we do, what we watch, how we get our news, what are our hobbies, etc.....and most of them said they watched Fox News and I couldn't figure out why but found out later, that's terms for expulsion because of bias I guess...  Anyway, going around a room with 70 people to stand up and talk takes a minute or two...then we were ushered in one at a time to talk to the lawyers. Me being Juror #55, I didn't make it.  They had their jury picked by #35 and we were excused to go at 4:30.  Interesting day to say the least. When it was all over I looked it up with the few facts that I knew and found the case and am really ever so glad I didn't have to sit through that. A guy murdered his girlfriend and put her in the bathtub and covered her with blankets and pillows then left the state. They found her 11 days later. Yes, he was on Meth...duh...but he did it and that jury of mine convicted him. That's just in a nutshell, the Sprectrum outlined the juicy details and I'm sure what the jurors had to hear would have burned my ears and caused me nightmares for many years to come.
https://www.cedarcityutah.com/news/archive/2019/04/19/cgb-jury-finds-mcatlin-guilty-of-first-degree-murder-in-stabbing-death-of-st-george-woman/#.XMDIdjBKiUk  Here's the article if you are a glutton for punishment. The guy in the green shirt.....GUILTY as charged.

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...and on a lighter note and speaking of GUILTY.....we were totally "guilty" of having the best Easter Picnic Evaaaaaaa. It's like we rented the DSU ATWOOD INNOVATION CENTER for the afternoon.  This is the old East Elementary and Kyle thought he owned it back then but he really does now....well not really but he is in charge and it is a wonderful use of a very old (but not that old) building as I was in the first kindergarten class in that new school....um you do the math. I'm 68.

Here I am showing some very uninterested grandchildren where I went to kindergarten but that's not all that important because all of my children went there too and some of their children so I guess it is pretty old but let's just say, they are "recycling" it and in fine fashion I must add.  It is very impressive and Kyle is the one that has solicited $$$$ for this place traveling all over meeting with very rich people.

Kyle is in the red tie on the front row, third from the right.

Evan is pictured on the computer creating a pattern for a 3D printer.

However, as I said, we were privileged to use the grounds of the school for our Easter Picnic where Don Willie, the other owner (not really but a very smart man that is the director) and his family joined Kyle's fam, Traci's fam, Lauri's fam, Brad and Ashley and kids and Joyce and Jarrett where we had a grand time playing on the playground, cruising around on the rentable scooters that the city has provided and then eating the best food ever

and have a HUGE egg hunt. I was so tired I didn't even want to hit the Arts Festival.....now that's pretty tired for me but it was a wonderful and educational afternoon as Kyle helped the kids design their own plastic eggs from the 3D printer....(boggles my mind).

After some quick instruction...Randy was off.

 I love it when my little kiddos come running toward me....

 ...so excited for the hunt.

 This is the mysterious 3D printer.....like I said it so boggles my mind. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen this with my own eyes.....

 ...and here's Jarrett scraping off one of the mistakes.

Here are some cute as heck pics of the kids...

 I think Mae has a huge crush on Henry and when I asked her if she had talked to him she said..."He doesn't know who I am....I have different clothes on." Love it.....

 It just doesn't get much cuter...

 JoEllen is helping Ruby get just a little higher.....

 Good to see the guys relaxin' a bit....

We really had such a good time together. I'm going to end this segment with my favorite picture of the day.  I've titled it "My Girls".  Always love it when I can get them both in one shot.

Oh how I love these two.....

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And now as we say goodbye to April, here are a couple of shots I took when we rode up to the res yesterday afternoon.

This is the base of Whipple Trail.....don't think that snow is going anywhere any time soon. Maybe June.

Here are a couple of deer we saw at the side of the road. They are starting to come home. So are the cows, folks arghhhhh......Goodbye April, hello cows, I mean May. It will soon be Christmas.