I'm learning...

...in fact I'm constantly learning, and this weekend is no exception.  I find that it's my children who are now teaching me lessons on a daily basis.  Laynee came home a few days ago and told us that as part of her cross country training she had to sign up for the Dog Town 1/2 marathon.

My initial response was "be careful" and "don't get injured" and "you've never run that far before" etc,  etc.

It's probably a really good thing that I couldn't be there to watch her run.  I was down with Drew in Vegas at a soccer game, otherwise had I been there to see her race, I'm sure I would've been wiping the tears of a proud dad from my eyes.

This is Laynee coming around the corner at the finish line at Staheli Farm...

...in FIRST PLACE in her age division (19 and under...she's 14) with a time of 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Cheese!

Even The Troy wanted to get a picture with Laynee after the race.

This was the first I heard of Laynee's race as I was down in Vegas.  I knew she was running, but hadn't heard from anyone about how she did.  I was sitting by myself in the car after having dropped Drew off at the soccer field and Drew's phone received this picture from Joellen...my jaw hit the floor. (I love how you can see the reflection of Joellen's phone taking the picture)

It was an equally successful day down in Vegas - two of my nieces who generally avoid me, warmed up to me while at Drew's game.

Thank you Lucy and Molly for hanging with me.  Lets do it again sometime (too bad they won't recognize me without my sunglasses).

Drew and I had a great time on our little down-and-back to Vegas.  They pulled off a come-from-behind tie after  falling behind 3-0.  So it felt more like a victory for us.

So what am I learning?  Not to underestimate my children.

Presidents Day Weekend

 Let me introduce you to Albert Einstein.  Drew had a project at school in which he had to report by memory about Einstein in front of all his classmates - even from other classes.  Strong work Drew.

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 This is Miller, Austin, and Jack just loving life at the baseball tourney this weekend.  It was a beautiful weekend for baseball and it seemed as though the majority of the Wasatch front was in St. George to enjoy it.

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 Laynee is a few months out from turning 15 and getting her learner's permit, so with a little extra time on Sunday afternoon we headed down to the Arizona Strip to find a quiet dirt road and learn how to drive a stick-shift.  This was lesson #1 and I have to admit, she did quite well.  No tears, no cussing...its all good.  In the Wells home, driving a manual is a requirement.

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 After one week of Monopoly, the tally is Shana 1 win and Seth 1 win.  Seth loves to play Monopoly and Shana is the only one who can give him a good game (or is willing to play).  She plays her hardest and there are generally some tears shed at some point in the match or off color language - I'll let you decide which is coming from Seth and which is coming from Shana.

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 Finally, Presidents Day Weekend!  I had a day off on Monday and I knew where I wanted to be - so we packed up a lunch and once again made it to one of my favorite places.  

 It wasn't crowded and the sun was warm enough on our backs and faces to take a nice little nap on the great lawn.

 I love this place.

 We had never stopped at the Court of the Patriarchs so we took this opportunity today to make it happen.  I didn't realize it was a two minute hike to a lookout point.

Isaac Peak is on the left, Mount Moroni is the red-rock peak closest to us, and Jacob Peak is right behind it to the right. Abraham Peak is not pictured to the left.

Pleasantly Uneventful

 Not a whole lot going on this past week - just following these kids around.

 Drew helped his team pull off the win.

Jack's loot from spinning the wheel.

This week's happenings

 This midwinter's evening offered us a beautiful sunset and Laynee and Jack helped savor it.

 Drew had the opportunity to go on a little excursion to Disneyland and visit a few temples along the way with some friends from our ward.  This is in front of the Las Vegas temple which, according to Drew, was the most impressive and is now his "favorite."  Drew also visited the LA and Redlands temple and spent two days in Disneyland. It's good to have him back home.

 Shana and I were out on date night with Troy and Cindy Davis and decided to visit a place that brings back a lot of memories from lazy afternoons in the past.  It has been easily a decade and perhaps two since I last stepped foot in the Dixie Bowl.  It sure feels like we had a lot of freedom when we were little kids, and maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems as though mom would send us out the door with a few dollars and a bicycle and nothing but bowling, pool, and pinball on the brain.

 This is the bowling alley where mom taught me that "in bowling, we're not playing against each other, you're just trying to better yourself."  I actually didn't find out til years later that bowling was a competitive sport.  I always blew my extra money on Hubba Bubba, thought the urinals that went all the way to the floor were cool, and would play a game of pool on rare special occasions.

 Prepare yourself for the intensity that The Troy has to offer.

There it is.