Off to St. George to see two plays at Tuacan.

We left Thursday about 1 p.m. and headed for St. George.  We had a play scheduled for Thursday evening which was Beauty and the Beast and another scheduled for Friday night, which was Sister Act.  We packed the Ron and Judy's car and had a fun drive down, chatting all the way.  We stopped for a quick bite to eat, unpacked the car and then headed over to the Tuacan Theater.  We saw some pretty dark rain clouds off in the distance but we were sure it wouldn't come our way.  WRONG!  Half way through the musical it started sprinkling and by the time the intermission had ended we were getting poured on and they had to call off the second half.  What a disappointment!  I felt bad for all the young children who wouldn't be able to see the second half.  We all went home soaked!

 No surprise here!  Neal runs into someone he knows and has to stop and talk.  I swear, no matter where we go, he always runs into someone from his past.  This was Elaine Rich.  She went to school with Neldon and she and her husband work at the Salt Lake Temple on Tuesday mornings and Neal dated her younger sister in high school.

 This is what we all looked like trying to keep somewhat dry but it didn't work.

We went back to the condo and played a few hands of bridge and then to bed.

Lexi's 'thank you' note found!

Just before we left for Mexico I decided to go downstairs and see how many bottles of liquid shower soap and liquid hand soap I had left in storage.  We always stop in Primm on the way to Mexico and that is where they have a Bath and Body outlet store and I like to stock up on both.  While I was checking on the two items I noticed that the storage room was a bit of a mess so I started cleaning and that is when I found Lexi's thank you note.  I love that the girls always leave me thank you notes around.  Makes me smile from the inside out!

Notice how she signed it.  I always call her La-Lexi-Lay-Lani.  Thanks, Lexi, for the very sweet note.

Birthday continued . . .

We've been in Mexico for the past 12 days so I haven't had a chance to keep my blog updated.  This blog is from last week.  Neal came home from class on Wednesday night and gave me a Talbots gift card (I don't know how much it is worth, but I'm guessing $100.00) and a new Tommy Bahama style sweat shirt.

Coming home to another surprise!

I came home from work and there on the kitchen island was a present from Tucker, Jamie and the girls.  It was a bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries.  Yummm!

 I took a picture of the message in the attached card but it was blurry so here is what the attached card said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM/GAM/JEANNINE!!!We love you soooo much!!!  Love, Tucker, Jamie, Jordyn, Lexi and Peyton
Thank you all so much for the delicious birthday present, for remembering and most of all for your LOVE!  You make being 71 years old a delightful experience!

August 3rd! The official birthday!

So this morning I woke up bright and early and headed off to work.  I anticipated a mess on my desk but not quite like what I found when I entered my office.  It was a fun day filled with laughter and surprises.  Not sure how productive I was but I did get a little bit done before the day ended.  A group of us went to lunch for my birthday and had a wonderful time.

Ashley and Heather and I have this joke going that Ashley is the favored one and so she is #1 in Heather's eyes and I'm #2.  It is all about me, but I am #2.  That is why all the two's all over my desk and on my birthday hat.  What do you think about me in orange?  Different for the 'pastel queen' don't you think?
Ashley and Heather also gave me a little heart to put in the charm necklace that Jamie gave me.  The heart has "Best Friends" on it.  Along with that a Jim Shore figurine and a $20.00 gift card to Talbots!!  Yahoo!!  You all know how I love Talbots!

What a great day and how fun to spend it with people at work that I enjoy being with every day and make work a place I love to come to!

A birthday dinner at the Gertsons

Annie invited me out to her home for dinner, dessert and games.  It was a delightful evening with everything about as perfect as it could be.  Neal and I arrived their about 4:30 and had a tour of the basement.  They are so close to being done.  I'm so excited for them to finally have a family room to enjoy and each child having their own bedroom.  They just have a few finishing touches to do and Andrew's closet and then they will be ready for the carpet to be installed.

My choice of dinner was French Toast.  I can't remember the last time I had that and it was delicious. French toast, juices and fruit.  Perfect.

After dinner, we played Shanghi and then had delicious strawberry pies for dessert.  These pies are a recipe that I got from Leah Jones some 40 years ago.  I mentioned to Annie that I wondered if Leah is looking down on us and smiling that we are stilll using her recipe.

Candles were put in the pie and happy birthday was sung.  You will notice that the candles are showing 71!

After I blew out the candles we all enjoyed a piece of pie and then Neal, myself, Annie and Jeff played the four handed game.  I had to take a picture of the score - just for Tucker's sake!  I WON!!

Jeff Gertons always gives me the traditional movie for my birthday.  He always manages to find me a great movie that is action packed and good.  This year he gave me Catching Fire from the Hunger Games.  Can't wait to watch it again.  Thanks Jeff for always remembering and making me feel special.

Of course I had to take a picture with my Gertson grandchildren.  Andrew is still trying to be taller than me.  I suspect by my next birthday he will have well passed my height and then some.

I had a wonderful time and enjoyed every minute of the evening.  Thank you Annie for the delicious dinner, Jeff for the movie and to all the Gertsons for the hugs, wishes and love!

It was a birthday Sunday!

It really isn't my birthday until tomorrow but I had so many wishes and hugs today at church that you would have thought my birthday was today!  How wonderful to be surrounded by people who are aware and make a point of finding you to give you a hug and wish you a happy birthday!  Sally Curtis, who is now the RS President in our ward caught me after RS and slipped a gift to me and wished me a happy birthday with a hug.  It is a $50.00 gift card to use at any of the four restaurants listed.  Neal and I have never been to the Nauvoo Cafe downtown so we may have to give it a try.  What a nice gift from a wonderful friend.

I'm having fun celebrating my birthday so far.  Isn't there a song that says, "One year older and wiser too?"  Certainly one year older but wiser?  I'll have to think about that.  Maybe it depend on who you talk to.  :-)

More dang yellow jackets!!!

When Tucker and Jamie were here visiting  a short time ago, Jamie told Neal that she saw a yellow jacket fly out of the mouth of our wind ornament that hangs on the wall of our patio.  So last night while Neal was planting the planter for Annie I noticed the yellow jackets or hornets (whatever they are) going in and out of the small hole for the mouth.  The ornament does not lay flat against the wall so there is plenty of room in their to build a nest.  Something I would have never thought to look for.  At dusk I sprayed right in the mouth and sure enough the hornets began dropping coming out and dropping to the ground.  Later that evening we took the wind ornament down and sure enough there was a lovely hornets nest!!  If you look closely you can see a hornet sitting on the lip of the mouth.

I glanced over at our other ornament which was the sun and we deicded to carefully take it down and just see if there was anything growing there and sure enough those nasty things had built a nest behind the sun ornament as well.  Believe me they were well sprayed and won't be coming back to either ornament this year.  Every Spring I'm going to have to take them down and spray them good every so often during the summer to keep the hornets from nesting in them.

A birthday surprise for Annie from Neal

Neal has wanted to do a planter for Annie's front porch and finally got around to buying he big pot and the flowers, soil, fertilizer, etc.  He has asked me a couple times what flowers I thought she would like and I've tried to reassure him that she will be happy with dandy-lions knowing that he cared enough to take the time and money to make a colorful planter for her porch.  This was totally his idea.  I had nothing to do with it.  He went by himself to pick out the flowers and then planted them with a pattern in mind.  Believe me, he is very, very particular about his patio and porch planters.  Here is the finished product.

 While I was standing there in my white pants and not helping I noticed this huge bumble bee land on a flower right next to my face so I carefully turned and snapped a picture of this beautiful insect.

Of course, when they are right in your face they are much bigger!!  It was a pretty good size bumble bee though.
Oh yes, happy birthday early Annie from Neal.  He will be giving you this birthday gift tomorrow when we come out for my birthday dinner. Good thing you don't read my post all the time or it wouldn't be a surprise.  I figure there is no way you are going to get on the blog tonight.  Knowing you, you are working like mad on your basement until you drop in bed of exhaustion!

Neal and I golfing

Neal called me up at work and said that he wanted to go golf 9 holes at Old Mill so I skipped out of work right a 5:00 got home, changed and off we went to have a fun evening.  We had just enough time to get in 9 holes and we didn't have to pair up with anyone else.  I love it when it is just Neal and I golfing and we don't have to have a foursome with two people we've never met.  The evening was a perfect temperature with a slight breeze.  Makes me love summer all the more.

 Like my new golf outfit?

 Stupid selfie of Neal and I.  I want to take a selfie and look as cute as Jamie.  I know, I know, that isn't possible but that doesn't mean I still dream that I could!!!  Maybe I just don't want to admit that the wrinkles and and every part of my body dropping to the ground makes me look older.  Sigh . . . .

We had a great time.  It is nice to know that Neal and I have fun together and enjoy being together and are both healthy and happy and still enjoying every part of life!  I do love this man of mine.

August 1st and a celeration

I met Lila Mae and Susan in Orem where we shopped and then at 11:45 went to P F Changs for my birthday lunch.  It was delicious.  Lila Mae and I split a plate of Almond chicken and Susan had Sweet and Sour Chicken.  For dessert Susan ordered the Great Wall of China Dessert.  It is about a 6 layer chocolate decadent cake with raspberry sauce and berries on the side.  We all had a slice and we just couldn't finish it so I brought the rest home for Neal for his dinner tonight.  The three of us had a wonderful time talking and laughing and just enjoying each other.  I'm so thankful for a sister that I love dearly and a niece that I feel so close to.  Susan and I have developed a wonderful relationship over the years.  I would love to have Susan speak at my funeral.  (Annie, take note of that).

 This incredible dish was the appetizer that Susan ordered.  These are lettuce wraps and they were absolutely delicious!  A meal all by itself.  Really didn't need anything else.

 And, of course, pictured below is the Great Wall of China chocolate cake.  Yummm!!

After lunch we headed to JoAnn's and from there back to get my car and that is when Lila and Susan gave me my birthday presents.  Lila Mae gave me two movies and a 'this and that' box.  And Susan gave me two $50.00 gift cards to Talbots!!!  Oh my gosh am I ever going to have the time of my life shopping their end of the summer sale.  Mostly I loved just being with both of them.  I wished Annie could have been with us but she is desperately trying to get her basement all finished and ready for the carpet to be installed on the 17th of August so she didn't come.  We missed you Annie.
It was a wonderful day and a great way to begin celebrating my 71st birthday!

Thanks Lila Mae and Susan for a wonderful and perfect birthday celebration!  Love you both!

Neal and Lemon Meringue Pie

If there were ever a pie that Neal loved more, I don't know what it would be.  This is the second time he has stopped at a restaurant or the grocery store and brought home a lemon meringue pie and then stopped in the kitchen to grab a fork and up to the bedroom to feast on the pie!  The interesting thing is that he eats all the lemon filling and the meringue and throws the crust away.  We all seem to have our funny quirks when it comes to eating and Neal is no exception.  He can usually only eat about half a pie and then he saves the other half for the next night.