Wedding Day

The bright sun made some harsh light and shadows on the wedding pictures, but everyone looked so great. Here are my Mayberry Cousins (you remember them from Dave's wedding in June) with their latest acquisition-- Amanda.

[l-r: Scott, Matt &Maren Allred, Uncle Ralph, Amanda, Brent, Auntie Marti, Steven, Kevin with Ben, Katie with Ryley, Lacy, and Dave.

Ryley with her Aunt Amanda.

Amanda & Brent with Grandma and Grandpa Elrey

It was hotter than blazes outside the Temple in Redlands. Grandma and I tried to keep the girls cool in the shade while we waited fro the bride and groom in the noon sun.
Here are all of the Mayberrys trying to get Ryley to smile for the camera.

The reception at Amanda's Parents' Home in Crestline was beautiful. Their backyard was on a hill and at the top of the hill is this fun swing, which the girls and I enjoyed.
A view from the hill: The food was fabulous, like eating at Macaroni Grill, and the weather couldn't have been better...a very lovely evening.

Saying Goodbye

Sunday Morning we loaded up and walked down the hill from our cabin to the one where the Grandparents, Uncle Matt, and the Mayberrys were staying. Here's Grandpa, Heidi, Jamie, Addie, & Grandma.
Heidi, Jamie, Addie, and Grandma
Being silly with Papa Bill...I love that my girls know and love thier great-grandparents.

The Road Home

Poor Baker, California...so hot (119F) and so ghetto.
I udes to laugh at those "I love alpacas" commercials, but THIS takes the cake.
Adios, desert. I am sorry to say our love affair is over. I am officially a spoiled rotten Montana girl and I wilt when it's over 80F. When it's Dry & Lush vs. Dry & Barren, Lush wins. Fare thee well...

We stopped at my brother Willy's house to crash on Sunday night/Monday morning, and my other nieces, Ally & Isabelle, came over, too. Willy had to go work in California and Melanie had to go to school, but Addie, Ally, Belle, Liam, Spencer, and Heidi had a fun time playing until we left at lunchtime to head home.
We got on I-15 Northbound and came to a complete stop about 10 minutes later. We couldn't figure out why we were totally stopped, so we turned on AM radio and learned that the Presidential Motorcade was heading out to the Air National Guard station so Dubya could get on his plane and fly to Mountain Home, Idaho. We got to see Air Force One take off, but I couldn't get a good picture cuz we were going 80 mph by then. Kind of a fun final adventure for our trip.

Back in the Saddle

We made it! 2,000 miles and lots of sun, big gulps, freeways, and FUN! We got home at 8pm last night, unloaded (that took 2 hours), and went to bed. I still have tons to do today, but pictures and stories are coming soon. Here are Addie and Heidi modeling their mouse ears and some of our booty from Ikea.

"Goin' Out West Where I Belong..."

I beheld something that made me sick and terrified as I watched last night. Has anyone seen "My Super Sweet 16"? Oh. My. Stars. Let me just say that if I had a trillion dollars I would not treat my kids like that. And if for some reason they were that nasty at age 16, you can bet your bottom dollar (and ALL OF MY TRILLIONS) that kid would be at BRAT CAMP in two shakes. Sick and WRONG! What is wrong with parents in their 30s and 40s just worshipping their kids? Holy heck, it makes me sick and I'm starting to feel like a minority because I am not in love with my kids (I LOVE them, I am not IN LOVE with them) and I take my job of creating decent adults VERY SERIOUSLY. Super Sweet 16s and all the other crazy parenting does not a decent adult make, no matter how much money you have or don't have or what ever. UGH!


On a lighter note, "Life In A Northern Town" will be called "The OC" this week as we head down to Newport Beach for the temple open house, then Disneyland, then Cousin Brent's WEDDIN', so sorry about the hiatus. If can get online I will, but if not, there will be some fine pix and stories next Tuesday. Happy Trails.

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY: My mom was born!!!

August 15, 1951--a week before my grandparents' first anniversary-- in Monterrey Park, California, my mom was born. She's been called lots of things, like a sunshine, a force to be reckoned with, a spoon (by gramps), generous, and most of all, FUN (remember those color-coded personality tests? My mom was like straight-up yellow). We sure love her and hope she has a super 54th birthday. To celebrate, here's a (chronologically backward) photo essay I'll call "Me and My Mama."

There we are in 2001 in my honeymoon suite after our wedding reception in Tucson. Rich likes her so much, he let her come and help us open presents! I like her so much, I let her wear my Duke shirt!

There's mom in all her grandma glory with about half of her grandkids (the younger ones) in August 2004. She loves being Nana and the kids love her back!

That's Liam, Nana with Jake, Heidi, Spencer, Melanie, Ally with Jack, Addie, and Isabelle...thay all wish you HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NANA!

Mom and Me

Here we are at Campland on the Bay in San Diego. I had just performed with my little song-n-dance group, "The Pioneers of Music," and mom was one of the chaperones on our California tour in the summer of 1985. I was 13 and 3/4, she was almost 34, JUST LIKE I AM NOW! HOLY COW! (ps: for you long-time readers, I once promised a picture of my mullet if I could find one, so here you go--the mullet in all its glory...and braces to boot!)

There's my mom, making turkey sandwiches to send me back to Provo on Thanksgiving weekend 1991...Love Her!

Spirit of '76: Mom and Her Posse

Long time ago when we were all Laytons, living in Armpit, er, I mean Pocatello, Idaho-- that's mom at 25, holding Lisa & Laura (b.1974) and out in front are half of Willy (age 4) and me (age 5) sporting my own hair tragedy. Dad had that green chair til yesterday, I think. Mom, you're so cute!