Do you ever feel like this?

I've been feeling like I don't get anything accomplished and that everything I do has a catch in the get-along and requires the spending of way too much money. Anxiety! New church calling. Stress! And not enough energy. Do you ever feel this way?

This month we have been working on our house a little. Here it is fairly put back together, before the drip system cap came off and power sprayed the paint off the front of the house (RRRG!). Salvador came and put up shutters. They keep out the heat very well. They also keep out the light and when you close them, it is DARK. Our answer to saving energy.
Then we had a brisk wind that blew our Chinese Elm tree so hard that it split and broke some of the roof tiles. Our front Queen Palm is hollow with a very cool woodpecker circle in the front, and our mesquite tree in the back also broke. Tree Doctors are on vacation - don't blame them, so sweet Mel spent two days working on our broken limbs. We'll have to have them take a look at our woodpecker haven. Roofer is also on vacation. Does anyone know a plumber for the two toilets that keep running?
Beth and Chris invited us to a concert at Red Butte Garden for Mel's birthday so we took a welcome vacation from our problems. They helped us find Mel's new favorite restaurant EVER and people at the restaurant commented on how good Soph Soph was.

Soph loves her Gramps, especially his glasses and his mouth. She may be our next hygienist.
Beth made a great picnic dinner for us with the birthday cake surprise. He did blow out all his candles, each of which represented 28 1/2 years. He wasn't so lucky when he got home and had to perform to the tune of 57 wax nubs in a cake.
I wondered why Bruce has been having a little trouble with his digestive system, but he seems happy. We have sure enjoyed kids having lunch and swimming.Today I walked, read scriptures, took Kev to the airport, took in Mel's lab case and banking, painted a tree on a day care reading nook wall, watered the zinnias, started to cut out a dress for Leslie and talked to my friend Arlene on the phone. Although invisible work, I guess I have accomplished something AND I didn't spend any money. Zinnias make me happy and with the fresh coat of paint behind them, life is good. Do you ever feel like this?

ZCMI food court

As you may already know, just about the only thing left of ZCMI in SLC is the food court. I was taking a picture of Mel on his birthday and a song from the past popped into my head. Can you finish the sentence? I can't remember it. Modesty is always in style. It never goes out. It's in. It's in the latest fashion, with...

stars and stripes and fireworks

Sparkling teeth - muppet show? red, white, and Bru
Pretty Nat and Parker too
and Oakley when he's two
an unfair side note: all Jones' burn and peel but Brynn and Nicole look so tan in their burns
It won't let me post more now, but I can tell you, you're in for a UTAH treat.

Wind Beneath My Wings

Recently, Mel rode with a group on the "salt works tour 2008." He loves to see country and had only one complaint. They stopped too often, for too long and traveled too slow (that is one, right?). I tried to tell him it is the "hike as fast as the slowest hiker" idea but after seeing the ratio of parked bikes pictures I might have to agree.Beauty everywhere.
Southern Utah


Fly, fly, fly... you are the wind beneath my wings...