HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!!

Matt will be treated to his favorite meal tonite: homemade spaghetti with homemade sauce! (It is his request every single birthday dinner)

I will never forget how Jim was walking around about 3 feet off the ground when he discovered on Aug 29, 1986 at the Newberg Memorial Hospital that we had a man-child!!!

Matt - thank you for 22 years of your fun personality and good heartedness.

We love you Big Guy!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAPE!!!!

Man, o man, there are A LOT of birthdays in our family in August!

Today, John Palmer Hicks, III turns, I believe, 35? Can it be true?

I still think of you, Jape, as that cute skinny kid who loved backhoes. And my favorite JP line of all time is . . . After the skinny 5 year old had been helping Jim in the yard of our newlywed bungalow in Tucson, I went out to ask if they needed anything (thinking the answer would be "cold water" or "lemonade," etc.) JP's reply "Yeah, how about a PAYCHECK?" ;)

JP, it is my inicredible good fortune to have a younger brother to look up to and admire. Thank you for the example you have been to me of living a righteous life. You are a man of kindness, integrity and good humor. Hey . . . haven't I read that somewhere recently?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN, and may you live to bless us all many more years!

Integrity, kindness and good humor

Ok, this really is a terrible picture of Jim, but I wanted to post a note that Amy wrote to her dad on the occasion of him having been born in '54 and turning 54 yesterday!!!

"You've played so many important roles - father, mentor and coach to name a few. But the sum of who you are is more than that. It's the way you go about your life - with integrity, kindness, and good humor. You truly do deserve the best birthday ever. Thank you for always being there for me and for being an amazing example." - Amy Kelly Welsh

As I read this, I questioned whether Amy, being a very biased person, could give an accurate assessment of him. Like Amy, I know Jim Kelly well, and I know that he is not perfect, but I also am a person who is very biased in his favor. So, can we give an accurate assessment of his character? The answer, I concluded, is a resounding YES!

The people we interact with on a daily basis are the people who know us the best. They see us as we truly are, warts and all. But because of the service and love we give to each other daily, we constantly look for and hope for the best in each other, and because of that closeness we are in a position, much like the Savior, to see us as we truly are and love us anyway. I personally take great comfort in knowing that we will be judged by a very biased person: the Savior. He is biased in our favor, He is our advocate, He loves us unconditionally. He always has, He always will.

I add a resounding AMEN to Amy's assessment. He has lived every day of the 32 years of our marriage with "integrity, kindness and good humor."

Jim - May you bless us with another 54 years!!!

Summer's End Photos

Wakeboarder Chris about to crash Susie and Barry's Minnesaota lake house.

Jake and Donna tubing it.

El Viejo grandstanding.

Modern Mount Rushmore fabulous four.

Our Inner Vikings shine through.

Morgans and Kelly kids at Orem waterpark.

The Morgan fab four.

jake's 20th celebration!

Horray for me!

What a fabulous summer's end we have had - just wanted to share the joy!!!!

For Girls Only

Ok, someone sent me this website, and I normally don't get sucked into these silly internet quizzes, but this one only takes a few minutes and it was fun!

Which Disney Princess are you?

the answer can be found at http://www.greatestjournal.com/

I won't reveal which Princess I would be, but let's just say I will learn to love swimming. Lots of swimming. In the ocean. 24/7. And I'll be using a dingelhopper to comb my hair.

Kate & Neil new contact info

Just thought I'd post the new contact info for Kate and Neil - they are doing well and are becoming quite the Californians. They even went to DISNEYLAND, no less, with a family from Iraq!!! Can't wait for thier posts on their blog for that one!

Kate Kelly & Neil Ransom
5506 Riley Street
San Diego, CA 92110

For now they are keeping their Utah cell phone numbers:

(801) 836-2869 Kate
(801) 472-1339

ADIOS Los Dos Locos!!!

"Where is the "good" in "goodbye?" is a line from "The Music Man" that comes to mind.

Some good things I can think of:
Numero Uno: Sea World. Sign us up for annual passes!
Numero Dos: Old Town Mexcian food. Lots of scrapbook photos of us wearing large sombreros.
Otros: beaches, lots of beaches; warm and sunny Januaries and Februaries; one day drive from Utah.

On the downside -Kate: who will prod us into living the law of consecration in our daily lives? And introduce us to people from all over the world? And keep us informed on current issues? And keep Dad out of custody of the IRS?

Neil: Who will I use for a sous chef? And who will feed us fine cheeses? And make us cool silk-screen tee shirts?

And, now that you're gone, who will go crazy shouting "CLUB CRANIUM!!!" with us?

It has been so fun having you two live near us and seeing you every other day or so. Man, I will miss that.

But please know that we love you and think of you every single day and are praying for your success and happiness always.

And, remember that the highways run both ways - come back and visit us, too.

We love you more than the world.

Where is the "good" in Goodbye???

We had a farewell fiesta Saturday nite for Kate and Neil, who took off this morning for their latest stop in their quest to save the world: San Diego.
We are all most sad, of course, but we try to keep in mind that in January and February we will not be sad, we will be shouting for joy that we now have two more good reasons to escape to sunny southern California! Sea World here we come!
Kate, we will miss your fashion sense (see above photo) and . . . who will be around to prod us into living the law of consecration more fully?
Neil, I will miss my favorite sous chef/culinary advisor/test kitchen taster. Who will be here to feed us fine cheeses and homemade veggie burgers?
But, never fear. Sea World and La Jolla snorkelling (and you, too) becon us all westward for frequent visits!!
You are gone but not forgotten!