random pics of last month

due to the fact that i am typing with only my left hand, i will keep the wordage short.

i am a lefty because of this:

a repaired tendon

which looks like this in daylight hours.  i cant keep the menz off of me with this claw contraption.

below pics: jax as the green arrow at comic-con

below pics:  uncle ron [rands oldest bro]

below pics:  randys cousins daughters wedding

below pics:  mountain man rendezvous

go big or go home :)

below pics:  out of the darkness suicide awareness walk

paula made buttons with damons picture inside for us all to wear

and i saved my best for last. 

 it was one of the proudest days for randy and i as parents.........

riv's first high school home coming dance.

the lovely gal that accompanied him is named quinn.

Who says teenagers don't know anything?

I had a pre-set of 101.9 the end [alternative rock] in my car radio.

One day the music was different, and we realized it had changed to 'Classic Hits'.

Both of my boys love classic rock and push the button to listen to 101.9 when they are in the car.

This past week, we have heard them advertise for free Salt Lake ComicCon tickets and have called in hopes to be the caller #5 winner.

No luck.

That is until a couple of days ago.

Jax remembered that the D.J. said more tickets would be given away in the 3 o'clock hour.

He set his new purple and black digital watch to alarm him of the winning time.

As the announcer started the contest at 3:05, Jax dialed into the radio station on my cell phone while I used the house phone for double winning possibilities.

Immediately Jax had a nervous expression.

I asked him if it was ringing.

He yelled, "YES!" and then threw the phone at me.

I fumbled and put the phone to my ear.

As I cleared my throat to talk, I realized that I had missed the D.J's introduction to answering the call.

I had to ask him to repeat what he had just said.....all the while Jax is FAHREEKING OUT and embarrassed by my delay.

In calling conclusion, we won a VIP  4-pack to the SLC ComicCom 3 day event!

[a prize worth $600!]

We get tix, a swag bag, photo op's with celebrities and much more.

Jax was jumping up and down and about ready to cry with excitement!

If you know Jax, you know that he believes super hero's are real, and this is his Disneyland of his dreams to attend the gala of GEEKS event.

The D.J. recorded our convo and played it on air.

The clip that he got was,

D.J:  "How did you find our satation?'

Me:  "Well, it was already in my pre-set for the alternative end station, and when we found out you switched to classic rock, my boys wouldn't let me change it.  I have two teen boys that LOOOOVE classic rock."

D.J:  "Who says teenagers these days don't know anything????  

They know good music!"

Me:  "I know!!!  I guess I raised them right!"

D.J:  "You sure did"

We are now in the process of putting together Jax's 'Green Arrow' costume. It's coming along, but there are major funds involved!!! 

Being a comic book geek-jek is expensive!
[YES!! There is a possibility that green spandex are involved!  YIKES!]

I have plans on dressing up as a geek-jek's mom.

I'm sure there's something in my closet that will work.

I play that roll every day!

Stay tuned for the reveal of Jax's costume.

This is the place

Randy and I enjoyed a farm to table dinner at Pago on Friday night.

JUST THE TWO OF US!!!!

It's been a long time that we have had an alone date night.

As we basked in the late summer air with a glass of wine on the 9th east patio, we reveled in the beauty of the people and the eclectic streets of Salt Lake City.

I love this city.  I really do.

As Brigham Young said, "THIS is the place".

I'm sure his meaning was much more different than mine.....

but the appreciation of it's glory is the same.

Penguins shoot poop

I got free tickets to the Living Planet Aquarium from my credit union.

The aquarium is moving from the weird, small location in Sandy to a larger, custom built location in Draper.

I couldn't help but feel like these water creature thingies are held hostage in a small cell :(

Kinda made me feel like being an activist for like......a minute.  And then I got tired when I thought of how I would have to picket on hot streets with ugly signs and shirts and extreme, weird people :/ 

I decided right then and there, that I wouldn't be the best activist for this cause.

Jax's highlight of the day, was watching the penguins shoot their poop as they swam in front of the glass.

There always seemed to be a following penguin that swam in the first penguin's cloud of white milky shiz.

Jax was dry heaving at the sight, yet continued to stay hoping for more pooh sightings.

Bodily fluids from any kind of living creature is a 'HELL YEAH' moment for any boy.

They are seriously attracted to shit!!!!

You mother's of boys know what I'm talking about!

I really like your peaches...Want to shake your tree

The lil peach tree we planted last fall produced so many sweet, juicy peaches, that it's poor limbs were laying on the ground from the weight.

Something about a fruit tree or a garden that makes a human feel God-like.......

as if WE made every piece of bounty with our bare hands and take credit for all of it!

We threw a couple tomato plants in the back 40 with shitty soil and no fertilizer and they have flourished!!! 

Even with little to NO effort, we feel proud of our produce and show it off like they were born from our loins.

Son of a preacher man

 Randy and Riv spent a Sunday afternoon tuning up the chick-mobile.

Riv was proud of his grease filled fingernails and scratched up forearms once they started lil blue and she ran like a purring kitten.

I think the boy learned a few grease monkey tricks of the trade.

Of course, when THE Rand teaches anybody anything....

you also get a sermon for free.

I'm not sure of the real conversation that was had, but this would be my version of it by the looks of the pictures........

SON!!  You need to do this.  

And SON, you need to do that.

And if you do this, that will happen.

Do you want that to happen to this?

Hey!  I'm talkin to you SON!

DO YOU understand me SON?

And what is up with that hair SON!?!?!

Cut your hair and get a real job SON!

Time is running out for you to do this and that.

SON, I'm gonna tell you what my dad told me:

Centralize your shit SON!

And that's all I have to say about this.....

or that.

DAD!!!!

Leave my hair out of this and that.

It's an innocent bystander in this.

It never did anything to you or that!

Ahhhhh........ good ol fashioned father son preaching bonding time :)

Drunk on frienship

Saturday night the gang celebrated an end of summer BBQ at my house.

Everyone pitched in to bring a delish side dish to accompany my kabobs.

EVERYTHING was tasty amazing!

Paula and Jay D brought their kick ass spicy stuffed jalapenos, Kim and Phil brought home made baked beans, Derek and Lisa brought a fresh caprese salad, Marilyn and Ben brought a large bowl of salsa love, and Lynsie and Jay brought a dessert that was so addicting we called it 'crack in a pan'.

I had been waiting for the right moment to use my two bottles of cherry wine that I bought at the wine fest in CO.

This was the perfect eve to bust it out , mix in some lemonade and fruit, and celebrate with my friends.

We caught up on each other's lives and were like puppies just needing to be close to each other and suck every breath hoping the night wouldn't end.

I was drunk on laughter, good food, happiness and 

fabulous friend fellowship.

Damn....life is good :)

Especially with these great people.

We are a lucky bunch of goofballs.

Life's highway

I have a lump in my throat that doesn't want to go away.

It's residency will choke me up with a warning that salty tears will be falling down my cheeks.

Sometimes I can hold it all back and there is no evidence of the fear, pride, happiness, and monumental moments that I experience when I realize that my oldest baby boy is on his way to freedoms from my apron strings.

And other times.....

I allow the tears to fall where they may.

Last night we brought home Riv's first vehicle.

He is only 15, but will be getting his permit [if he passes] on Friday.

This Jeep is exactly what Randy had in mind for his son.

It was affordable, [to which River helped pay for] and is a great mechanics learning piece for a young man to gain knowledge.

He has a year to practice driving with an adult before he acquires his real driver's license.

I will savor this last year of riding by his side, knowing that soon enough, he will be on 

his own road to life's highway.

Jumpin Jax Flash

If it's there, he WILL jump it.

I cringe when I see him running for a pole.

[especially the one's that are as tall as him] 

I can't even watch most of the time because I have fears of witnessing a horrible nut-knocker tragedy.

I call it MMMMMMMM fest

Beerfest 2013 proved to be once again, 

AWESOME!!!

Just ask Jay :)

Big MOTH-er effer

I noticed him hanging out on my front window. As I moved in on him to take a close up picture, he didn't even wince or try to get away.

It was the biggest moth I've ever seen.....and the most beautiful one too.

What's the difference between a moth and a butterfly?