Ed's Birthday Celebration

More than a day.

More than a week

Ed's birthday celebration is a lifestyle.

 Beginning with a sunrise.

 We could choose between a breakfast or a pool

at the Marriott in St. George

on the first leg of Ed's birthday trip.

Of course, we chose the breakfast.

Not only did we also have a pool

but we had a suite,

two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen.

Luxurious life.

We swam at night;

we swam in the rain the next morning;

and we enjoyed a complimentary breakfast too.

 

 Oh yes!

 These are the first blossoms we saw this spring;

totally infatuated.

How can we forget each year

how charmingly blossoms 

tickle and tingle our sight and smell.

 Now the blossoms are out in Kaysville,

we're not so awed

but this was our first sighting this year.

 Wal*Mart in Blomington.  Get it?

 We're on our way to a condo in Vegas

with DeRay's siblings.

 The talented Thompson brothers

invite us to a private showing

of their prize-wining movie

Popovich and the Fabled American West.

All of the boys,

plus their dad were in the movie.

Popcorn and Popovich.

Who could ask for anything more?

 CEO Jerry, hard at work.

 Norm, Karen, and Clare enjoying.

 Marilyn and Ron

  Scott, Mike, and Jerry in their studios.

 The pool at the condos where Ed and I swam

and hot tubbed every day.

From our 7th floor window.

 The traditional buffet.

Norm, Karen, Ed, & Jeanette

 Ron, Clare, & Marilyn

 And then we watched the fish.

 

 Taking a swig from an empty bottle.

Actor.

 Marilyn and DeRay spent a lot of time

putting Amy's 1000 Lighthouse puzzle together.

 Ron helped too.

 "I sure enjoyed my birthday trip.

The best part was riding the ferris wheel

that's open right now."

(as he checks his watch.)

 Karen, Marilyn, and Clare.

 Ed soaking it in.

"Things are going well, Mom," Ed observes.

"I thought we'd do this trip to set the tone."

With a couple of exceptions,

he has done very well.

Things are so much better.

We can actually carry on a conversation

without fear of an explosion every few minutes.

Amy's plan is working.

Before each meal, he says: 

"Stupid. I love life.

I love Las Vegas. I love Idaho.

I love California. I love Colorado.
I love Idaho. I love Texas."

and for good measure, he adds,

"I love cruises."

It was hard for him the first time

with all his aunts and uncles here.

"Quit picking on me 

when there's a crowd around,"

he pleads.

 Karen and Marilyn above the city.

 The High Ride.

 DeRay waiting for us down below.

 It moves very slowly but

somehow your head knows you've been on a high ride.

 Sexy legs, Ed.

 Great view of planes taking off and landing.

 This was at our highest point.

 That's Ed and me fighting for our lanes

in the crowded pool.
In all week,
while there were usually several people in the Jacuzzi,
Ed and I were the only ones in the swimming pool.

 Graceful.

 You can't have a birthday without chocolate cake.

Marilyn had on the menu to buy a cake from Costco;

DeRay brought four cake mixes @ 50 cents each.

 Staying up until 1 AM and getting up at 6 AM

Marilyn and DeRay finally finished the puzzle.

 This is just for show.

Traditionally, the Pughs have played Pinochle at reunions.

Now with iPads and Smart Phones
each one plays his/her own game.

We played one game just for old-times sake.

No one had fun but me,

who had a Shoot-the-Moon hand but 

was too dumb to play it.

Our main form of entertainment

was Clare's movies.

Too many to remember.

"God is Dead"

She bought "Meet the Mormons"

that we watched on Sunday.

The last movie we watched was "Morning Glory".

Quite a week, Ed.

DeRay and his siblings know how to party!

Traveling through the state,

we visited with Shirley and Amy Jayne in New Castle;

Jerry and Lana Gale in SunRiver;

and Lynn and Juanita in Nephi.

Saturday we lost two hours:

One hour coming from Pacific to Mountain Time;

one hour because we changed to Daylight Savings Time.

It was hard to get up for church at 9 AM the next morning.

March 11

 

Lest we forget,

Ed was born in his Grandpa Pugh's birthday.

Other years

I have awakened at the exact hour and minute

he was born,

but when I went to bed last night,

I couldn't even remember what time he was born.

I woke up every hour or two wondering

if I had missed it or how long it was

until his birth moment.

Somewhere toward morning,

I remember 5:19.

I woke up at 5:22.

Close enough.

In honor of Ed,

our good sport;

who has missed out on so much;

but who has so much at the same time.

He wanted to go to the gym to swim.

What better way to celebrate a birthday?

I couldn't believe it when we walked into the pool room.

The water was perfectly still.

Smooth as glass.

I have never seen still water in that pool

in the 10 years we've been going there.

Not one soul in the pool.

There were kids in the play pool 

but they were all quiet.

Not one screaming kid.
Lately it has been a mite cool;
today it was comfortingly warm.

We swam for a heavenly hour.

DeRay ran to the store while we were swimming;

and he was there waiting for us.

Sometimes he gets lost--or so we think.

Not today on Ed's perfect birthday.

When we got home, we rode our trikes

in the shadow of the warm clouds.

Ahhhh. Bliss.

 Now for the real party.

The neighbors dropping by for cake and ice cream.

Shanel Murdock and Eddy.

 Ed's new hometeaching family.

Abby Charlesworth and two toddlers.

 Brother Henderson who brought Eddy

a wonderful Book of Remembrance.

LeeAnne Jackson and William in background.

 Dennys are in Germany so their son from Maryland surprised us

by coming over and keeping us thoroughly entertained;

with RaJean Olsen and Dave Sorensen.

 Beautiful neighbors: Lynda Sorensen and RaJean

 Eddy and the Leavers, Joanie & Frank

 Eddy with Klarissa and Elizabeth.

When someone asked Brooke and Elizabeth

where their beautiful daughter was,

Klarissa quipped,

"I'm right here."

 The Allreds - new this year.

They brought him famous Aggie Blue Mint Ice Cream.
(Eat your heart out, Brigitte.)

 Brooke and Isaak.

Eddy loves to hug women but he will not hug men;

even his dad and brothers.

But he hugged Isaak tonight.

 Bruce Allred and Suzanne who gave him a nice card

and 10 bucks.

 The good sports:

Cai and DeRay.

What can I say?

 Karlton, the Rubics Cube genius,
 and his friend starring in Oliver at Rose Wagner Theater.

 We sure enjoyed eating "ed".

Created by Elizabeth and Klarissa.

Delicious.

Aunt Verla always makes Ed's birthday special.

She sends him a dollar for every year of his life.

Forty-two this year.

Poor Aunt Verla.

Aunt Shirley and Amy gave him a CD of the

Tab Choir singing patriotic songs.

Donna Graf and Sylvia send him cards.

"I love Donna Graf, Mom. I'm grateful she's my cousin.

I haven't seen her since Aunt Lucy's funeral."

Jan & Kids called;

Brent called from Washington DC

10 pm our time;

midnight his time.

"We're having quite a week,"
Ed says the next day.
"It's sure going well.
I noticed it last night."

We're back to our sloppy ways now the party is over.

Living like pigs -

shoes strewn, mail on counter,

clutter, clutter

coats thrown on couch.

But hey!

We celebrated one more year!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ED!