Monday, September 26, 2016

Name that temple

Los Angeles?

The first thing that happened when I got up this morning.

My temporary crown broke in half.

I called the dentist and then said hold on, keep my mouth clean,

and they have a new one for me on October 6th.  

It was a spontaneous kind of day.  We normally have a shake or James has Malt-o-Meal or oatmeal for breakfast.  Today he got up and fixed hasbrowns and eggs.  I love hashbrown.  They are one of my favorite breakfast foods.

Helaman 10:1-19

How did Nephi qualify for this great power?  Can we have this same power?  How are you an everyday missionary?

My answer: The answer to the first question is found in verses 4 & 5.  The last sentence in verse four says: "Thou hast not feared the, and hast not sought thine own life, but has sought my will, and to keep my commandments.  The blessings are listed in verse 5.  Can we have the same power?  Like Nephi, if we learn to ask "in the Spirit" (Helaman 10:17) and according to God's will, then "it is done even as "we ask (D&C 46:30; 50:29-30).  How am I an everyday missionary?  By trying to live the gospel and serving.  When I serve I don't want it to feel like a burden or an interruption but like I am doing the Lord's will.  When I serve, I feel the Spirit.  When I feel the Spirit it fills me with great power to love and care for others.  As we live the gospel, people will notice.  They will judge our religion based on our actions.

James's answer (which I sent to the Adam, Alex, Michael, and Seth as part of our scripture study).  When I serve and feel I have blessed someone else's life, I feel that the Savior approves of my service because I have done what He would have done and I feel His love.  I feel "wrapped in the arms of my Savior's love."  I feel like rejoicing because He approves of my service.

GC: 'Always Remember Him' Elder Gerrit W. Gong

"We can always remember Him on the Sabbath through the Sacrament.

Our Savior invites us to always remember Him as He always remembers us."

GC: 'Refuge from the Storm' by Elder Kearon

" For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me . . . Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Matthew 25:35-36

After our scripture study James went out and to take care of his baby.  I heard him talking and was wondering if he was on the phone.  No, he was talking to a bunny, telling her to quit eating his grass.

Edging

  

He is so proud of his "baby" and can't wait until next year when he can plant some more grass.

We were going to go to lunch today with Dennis, Denise, Harold, and Vickie but Dennis and Denise had to take their dog Buster to the vet and he ended up having surgery.  I hope he is ok.  I said a prayer for him.

I don't know what the princesses did to these grapes, but they are magical!!  One of our favorite snacks right now.

As I was reading from our book with James this morning, "Millennial Glory", I was touched by the way the author has the hero fight the bad guy.  Bo (weird names in this book),  uses his priesthood to defy the anti-Christ Imman Mahdi and saves the life of his son Dane.  Pretty powerful for a fictional novel.  This isn't historical fiction, I guess you would call it futuristic fiction.

Aaron's daughter Katie had a birthday this past week.  She turned 11.  She loves Minecraft so Erik's wife Amelia made her a cake.

Even Carmen was amazed.

Back to James and his many talents.  This is the guest house we have decided to build.  It is not as fancy as some of the others but it will be more affordable so we can start it sooner.

It has a bathroom and a kitchen!

Maybe by next summer.

Before dinner tonight James went out on the Razr to look for elk.  We have not seen any in our yard this year.  He found out why.  All of the water sources near us have gone dry because of the drought.  When he went up by water and bugled, he got some answers.  We are going to pray harder for rain.

I made beans in my Power Cooker using Gene Reed's recipe.  They turned out amazing and only took about an hour and a half.  James had several bowls.

For F.H.E. we listened to Elder Oaks's conference address, "Opposition in All Things."  We also tried to watch the debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.  What a joke.  Hillary told at least 12 lies.  And Trump kept putting his foot in his mouth.  Can we roll the dice and start over?

Yellowstone Park

Rowan's favorite animal.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

I got up at 3:40 to shower, wash my hair, and get ready to go to the valley.  We are going to Dahlia Dowdle's endowment session.  She has been called to the Chicago spanish speaking mission.  Her brother Geoffrey just got home from his mission to Guatemala two days ago.  Here is a picture:

We left at 5am and went the Globe way.  James drives while I sleep.  We are developing a pattern here.  We arrived at the Gilbert temple a little before 8:30.  

Dahlia was the only one taking out her own endowment in the 9:15 session.  Her bishop, Bishop Lewis and his wife Cindy, were the witness couple.  Here are some of the other people we knew in the session: Diana, Jared, and Geoffrey Dowdle, Jason and Drea Boles, Michael and Adrienne Ellsworth, Christy Wanlass, Katie Gunther, Janet Burchfield and her son, Dave and Laura, and an uncle and two aunts.  

After the session we went to Deseret Book and then to lunch next door at Cafe Rio.  I had to wait in line for about 30 minutes while James saved us a table.  I had the sweet pork salad.  James had a chicken toastado and a beef green burro. Quite delicious.  Now we are ready to start our fast.

We went home and I had a short nap before going to the Schneider's to fix up furniture we are buying from them.

Brian, Joe, Michael, and Alex helped for 

about three hours.  

Thank you so much!

Sheri and I made a run to Circle K for drinks for the boys and then we went to get pedicures.  Sheri is doing this for me for mother's day.  I loved it.  Thanks Sheri, you are awesome!

Sheri, Alex, and I went shopping at Fry's for the ingredients to make fried chicken for tomorrow's dinner.  We are using the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for oven baked chicken.  It is delicious and the first step is to marinate it overnight in buttermilk.  

Earlier in the day Michael and Joshua did some yardwork.

 

Friday, April 12, 2013

I got to have family prayer with James this morning.  I went outside in the yard to work and saw Ben riding his bicycle to school.  I wish I could have gotten a picture, but he was going pretty fast.  I fertilized 1/4 of the backyard and sweep some leaves off the porch before I had to stop and get ready to go to Brake Masters.  They evaluated my brakes and said the front were 90% gone and the back were 95% gone. Wow! It's a miracle that I made it off the mountain! They used the pads I bought at Toyota for the back brakes and their pads for the front.  They say theirs have a lifetime guarantee but Erik says their pads make the routers were out faster.  They also said this would be the last time they could rotate the routers.  I left my car at 9 and they didn't finish until after noon.  I spent some time at the McDonald's at Walmart and the rest of the time waiting in the Brake Master waiting room.  It felt good to get some brakes. Now I am sure to drive home safely!  Next month it will be the 120,000 mile checkup.
This afternoon I went to the biggest candy store in Arizona which just happens to be in Chandler on Chandler Blvd. and Alma School Rd.  What a fun place to shop!  I bought some chocolate gold coins to give to my young women along with the pocket-sized Book of Mormons I got for them.  I am going to tell them that there are hidden treasures in the Book of Mormon that they must look for.

Sweeties here I come!

Any kind of candy you can imagine.

Rows and rows of suckers.

Such a fun store to shop in!

I though I would post a picture of James's truck. He really likes it since he got new tires, although I say it still rides a little rough.

2010 Dodge Ram 4x4.

And last but certainly not least I wanted to share this conference quote from Richard G. Scott:

"One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept and love abounds."

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

I read from my Book of Mormon and then went out to water plants and grass.  I am afraid I got to much Weed & Feed on the lawn and it is going to have the opposite effect.  Instead of greening up the grass I wonder if it will kill it.  I hope not.
Today I had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Sam Walters in Scottsdale.  He prescribes my thyroid pills and my hormone creams.  I go to him once a year for a checkup.  I don't look forward to it.  He is not on my insurance and it is very costly.  He is always very complementary and tells me I look beautiful but I am quite sure he does that to all of his women patients.  He asks some pretty personal questions.  I feel like saying that is privileged information but then I realize he is only trying to help me.  Since I began going to him in 2003 my overall health has improved quite dramatically!  Just ask James.
On the way home I went by Power Toyota to see Erik.  He was suppose to fix my brakes but when I got there he said he could not longer do side jobs as of this morning.  He help me get a discount on some brake pads and then told me to make an appointment with Brake Masters. 
When I got home James was there.  He is worried about Zaki who is in the hospital with two bulging disks.  They are going to do surgery one him very soon. 
We called Darrel and ask if we could come and see him and the kids.  Trina is at work.  Of course the kids had to show us their baby chicks.  There are six of them, two for each kid, and they all have names but I can't for the life of me remember them.

Right now the chicks are in a box in the garage under a warming lamp.  Trina's Dad is going to build them a coop.
Rowan still has his tortoise and he also got some sea monkeys for Easter that he had to show us.  Ruby and Rowan were in a playful mood while Addy was busy doing her homework.

Something about guessing how many pennies can fit in a container.

Rowan had to show me his frog puppet head.

Addy finished her homework and cried when we said we were leaving.  We stayed a little longer so she could play with grandpa too.

A funny story about Evan today.  I was sitting in the dining room at home eating some cinnamon stix Jolly Ranchers.  Max tried them and said they were too hot.  Evan tried one and loved it.  He came back for 2 or 3 more!  A kid that has my taste in candy.

I went to Walmart today and the guard was a large blonde tough looking guy with a ponytail and a shirt that said Asset Protection.  At least I thought he was tough looking until I saw him from the front and he had makeup on.  Really??

On the way home from Darrel's we stopped at Taco Bell for dinner.  When we got home we got to see Jared Ammon for a few minutes.  He came over to do his laundry. 

Saturday, February 16, 2013

This morning I worked on my lesson and then did some yardwork.  I missed Max's football game. 
I packed, took some naprosyn, stopped for a drink and was on my way home.  I went the Payson way, James went through Globe.  Does that surprise you? 
I stopped in Payson at Taco Bell for lunch and had a Cantina steak burrito which was quite good.  James got me a burro at Burger House which I saved for Sunday breakfast.
Unloading my car was a major project! 
We had company this afternoon.  Dallin and Cody drove up for the 3-day weekend.  They stopped at Safeway and got their own food.  I can't get use to the fact that these two are growing up.
James and I watched Person of Interest and Elementary.  I fell asleep during Elementary.

Friday, February 1, 2013

We survived another month!  Thank goodness for a hardworking husband.  His back is really bothering him right now.  He has been crawling around in Troy Andersen's attic which certainly doesn't help.

James and I were able to have scriptures together this morning.  We have each been using our scripture apps on our phones to keep up but it's nice to sit down and actually read together. 

It was a nice sunny day here in Chandler with the high in the low 70's.  I worked outside in the yard.  Stacy and Paul used my car to go to a special program at Joshua's school where he was awarded student of the month in his class.  When Josh came home from school he told us all about groundhog day.  Here he is with his groundhog hat on:

I love this kid!

I had to stop my working in the yard, go in and take a shower and pick up a check at Bob Horne's and take it to the bank.  I didn't mind because the check was for over $12,000.  

When I went back to work in the yard Paul and his boys came out to help.  When they were finished there was a huge pile of dead branches in the middle of the yard.  I raked leaves out of the planters but had to quit early because I was hurting.  I will have to finish in the morning.

Trina got another tortoise for Rowan today.  His name is Leo II.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

I was up at 5am to take my shower and get ready to leave for the valley.  I didn't completely winterize but went outside to turn the pump and water off.  I left the house at 6am.  I stopped in Show Low for gas and to run my car through the carwash.  I stopped at the Circle K in Star Valley for a drink and to put some air in my tires.  I arrived at Dr. Douglas's office in Chandler for my 10am appointment exactly at 10am.  It was exactly 200 miles from our place to her office. 

Today I am having a filling put in and they are doing the prep work for a crown  It was a two hour appointment and I had my mouth open most of the time while they poked, prodded, drilled and ground on my teeth.  You would think this kind of torture would discourage me from eating sweets, etc., but no such luck. 

It was rainy and cool today.  The perfect day for doing some yardwork.  Everything in our once beautiful yard is dead and overgrown.  It looks terrible.  I worked for a couple of hours and cut back one lantana bush and cleaned up all of the dead growth around it.  There are only about 20 more bushes to go!

My Motorola Xoom tablet that I ordered last week arrived.  I do not have the slightest idea how to even turn it on so I went over to Dave & Laura's for a lesson.  Dave has a projector he attaches to his Xoom and he can show church videos on the wall.  He uses it for his calling as a high councilman. He taught me alot but now I realize I am going to have to go to Verizon and order a data package because we do not have wi-fi at home.  I am going to look in to getting satellite internet.

James and I had dinner at Applebee's this evening.  I had tomato basil soup and the spinach shrimp salad which is delicious.  We spent the evening at Sheri's typing up an invoice for Troy Andersen so James can collect some money tomorrow.  I watched the godfather episode of Modern Family with Max. 

Evan asleep on the couch.

Max carrying Evan to bed.

Max in disguise.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Worked in the yard this morning.  I mowed the front lawn and swept  I trimmed the two honeysuckle bushes in the front yard.  I swept the side and I swept the patio and put the new cushions on the patio chairs.  They look nice. 

At 11 Kim and Sheri took me to lunch at Cheesecake Factory for Mother's Day.  I had the chinese chicken salad for lunch so I could have this for dessert.

Yum deli iscious!

Trina worked today and Darrel needed to study for finals so Sheri watched their kids this afternoon. 
Addy, Max, Rowan and Evan waiting for Sheri to come down so they can go swimming.

Ruby decided she didn't really want to swim.  She would rather hang out with Grandpa and eat M&M's.

This evening James and I finished the British TV series The North and the South.  It was quite depressing throughout but it had a good ending. 

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Study for my talk, walk to Walmart, and then yardwork. I am so tired and hurting.
Stacy and Paul went to the temple today with Paul's family. Paul's nephew, Justin Johnson, (Devin and Kim's son) is leaving on his mission for Argentina in a few days.
Darrel came over this afternoon with his kids. He left around 5 to go pick up Trina at the end of the Ragnar Race at Tempe Town Lake. Everybody is calling Trina the MVP because she ran for Hillary Whalen when Hillary got hurt. Trina and Sheri both had a great time! Sheri ran for Christy Wanlass and had to run up a huge hill in Fountain Hills. I am proud of both of them!
A friend from the ward, Katy Glemser, talked about how good Jersey Mike's Subs are so we went there for dinner. Katy recommended Jersey Shore's Favorite with provolone, ham and cappacualo. I dont' know what that last ingredient is, but the sub was delicious! James got a hot pastrami and loved it! We are definitely coming back to this place.
I spent most of the evening typing James's talk for him. He narrowed it down from 27 pages to 7 pages. Mine is about the same length. I went to bed before nine, which is my goal.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012
I found this definition of sanctification today:
"Sanctification is the process by which the Saints of God are cleansed from the effects of sin, spiritually renewed, and prepared to enter into the presence of God. The Atonement makes this process possible, and the Holy Ghost is the means by which it is fulfilled." Every time I partake of the sacrament I am going to think of this quote.
My major goal for the day was to work in the yard. I decided to tackle the grass and weeds in one of the front planters. It is a slow and tedious process pulling bermuda grass especially when the ground is covered with decorative rocks. This morning while I was busily working I got a call from James. He was over at Aunt June's. It seems that Beverly Mendoza, one of the sisters he home teaches, needed a ride to Tempe. I called Beverly and told her I would pick her up after I took a shower. She makes jewelery and the company she works for needed the jewelry before noon. I picked her up a little after 11. She had two children with her, Albert, the 11 month old son of her niece, and Jacob, a 5 year old son of her nephew. The reason she has Jacob is her nephew, Jacob's father is in court today trying to get custody of Jacob. We drove to Rio Salado Parkway and then down Price to get to the wearhouse where she needed to go. She said she would be about 10 minutes but it was more like 30. Jacob kept yelling and putting his hands in my face. I tried to be patient but I told him he shouldn't do that to people, because it was rude. He had a DS console but had no games for it. We talked about DS games and when i dropped Beverly off at home he wanted to come home with me. Sorry Jacob, but I needed to go home and take a nap. Beverly did thank me and gave me a necklace because I am always willing to help her. Thanks Beverly.
This afternoon James went down to Sheri's and put in a new garbage disposal for her. She was very grateful.
While I was outside working this afternoon around 5:15 I heard someone yell, "No,No" and then two gunshots. It came from behind Dave and Laura's which is unusual because most disturbances come from the trailer park. A few minutes later I heard police and firetruck sirens. Stacy insisted I needed to call 911 and tell them what I had heard. When I hesitated, she did it for me. Later we watched on the news that a 72 year old man was suicidal so his wife had called the police. When they got there he turned his gun on them and they shot him. Stacy says it's called suicide by cop. How sad.
We tried to talk to Jared and his kids on Skype this evening but the internet connection was bad. The kids did sing Happy Birthday to James.

Friday, January 20, 2012
No walk this morning. My feet hurt too much from being on them most of the day yesterday.
This afternoon I did do some work in the yard. Pulling grass and weeds out of the planters is my least favorite yard chore. I did have some help from Joshua and Evan.
This evening James and I watched an episode of "Little House on the Prairie", "Body of Proof" and "Person of Interest." I must say I think my favorite was Little House with Person of Interest a close second.
We are also reading a book together, "King of the Castle", another one by Victoria Holt.
Tomorrow is the South Carolina Republican primary and I am afraid Newt Gingrich is going to win. My man Romney will probably come in a close 2nd.
James is having surgery on Wednesday and he cannot take any aspirin until after the surgery. He asked me to do something he's never asked me to do before.... buy him some Tylenol.