Saturday, October 31, 2015

It's President Uchtdorf if you please!

Happy Halloween!

Reporting in from Texas,

James, Emmy, Anna, and Molly

The following are not my grandchildren, but I

thought they were pretty darn cute!

Such a cute idea for twins!

This reminded me of the year Sheri was Raggedy Ann

and Jared was Raggedy Andy.

 James went down to the breakfast buffet here at the Springhill Marriott this morning and he brought me back three different breakfasts.  The first was a cinnamon sugar muffin with strawberries and whipped cream.  The second was biscuits and gravy, and the third a blueberry waffle.  I ate a little bit of all of them.  This food is much better than what we had at the Comfort Inn! 

James went to work this morning while I stayed at the hotel and worked on my Primary lesson.  We left a little before 11am, which 

was the checkout time.  James dropped me off at Sheri's and I went to the soccer game with Ian, Sheri, and Evan.   Alex went with James to clean out our unit at Central Self-Storage and load everything into our truck and trailer.  

The boys lost the soccer game but I won with Lola! Sheri was holding her and she held out her hands for me!  I sat between Sheri and Stacy.

Rowan comes home with us.  We stopped at Winco to shop and see if they had anymore one cent pumpkins left.  They didn't.  I got James some chocolate covered almonds.  

James drove up at Sheri's just as we go home from Winco.  I gave Rowan and Evan a hug and James and I headed for home.  We read our scriptures and from our book on the way home.  Of course we stopped at Burger House for tacos and burros.  

We stopped at the post office before going home and I was surprised to see the new shoes I ordered were already here!

They fit, I just wish they were a little wider.

James unloaded the suitcases and our personal items but will wait until Monday for the rest of the load.  We watched a really good Hallmark movie called "Freshman Father" before having our fasting prayer and going to bed.  It is hard to believe that tomorrow is November first.

Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treaters

The Hall's.  The witch, Ashten, is in my

Primary class.

Jon, Logan, and Lexy

Christina and her family

 

Saturday, September 19, 2015

I love the Prince, Mr. Kit!

I didn't get a quote from Sheri this morning.  I guess she's too busy hiking the Grand Canyon.

 I got up at 4:30 this morning so I could take Alex and Ben to the Allen's house.  They are going to do baptisms for the dead with the other young men in their ward.  The streets were dark and quiet until we turned onto Brother Allen's street and it was filled with young men in white shirt and ties.  It was a sight to behold on an early Saturday morning!

Joshua, Evan, and Rowan were awake before 7am.  Stacy told them if they woke up before 8 to try and go back to sleep.  I could see it wasn't going to happen, so at 7:40 I left with them to go to breakfast at IHOP.  

Evan and Rowan checking out Joshua's artwork.

Rowan ordered a chocolate pancake with chocolate chips

and a whipped cream smiley face.

Oh yes, that side of bacon belongs to Rowan too.

Stacy said Joshua would be tired if he got up before 8 

and I think she was right.

 Evan ordered two pancakes, a side of hashbrowns,

and he drank two glasses of orange juice.  He is the only

one that qualifies for the "clean plate club."

I think Rowan is caught in a "sugar fog."

Joshua ate his bacon and silver dollar pancakes and just a

couple bites of his eggs.

At 9:30 we had a meeting with our realtor, Jen MacLay to go over the inspection report. It was a looong list of things that needed to be done.

James seems a little overwhelmed.

Seth and Adam were carrying heavy things up from downstairs and loading them in James's trailer.  They finished and then waited around for James to finish his meeting so Adam could get paid.

Adam carrying my old suitcase from my college days and

pulling an empty dolley.

Seth carrying a drink.

Stacy took the boys to team pictures while we finished our meeting with Jen.  She took my car since Michael had left to go to a cross country meet in the Montero. 

James and I had a few minutes after the meeting with Jen so we went in our bedroom to read scriptures.  Someone knocked on the door.  When I opened it I was surprised to see Jared standing there! I squealed and gave him a big hug.  We got to visit with him for just a few minutes before leaving for the boys soccer game.  

We stopped by Sonic for a diet cherry coke and James also got a New York dog which has saurkraut and onions.  I told him Stacy was going to be upset  that she made her car smell funky.  When we got to Discovery Park he aired out the car and got rid of the trash.  He said: "She will never know."  "Wrong!" As soon as she got in the car she called me and said: "Did dad go to Whataburger?"  I had to tell her it was worse than that.  Both her and Kim are just  like me, they have blood hound noses.

Our team is the green team.  Sad that none of

my grandsons are in this picture,

 or this one.

Our boys lost 0-5.

The Three Musketeers:
Rowan, Evan, and Joshua

After the game we took the three boys to get something to eat.  Rowan wanted Chikfila and the other boys wanted In-N-Out Burgers.  They were getting a little fidgety waiting in two drive-thrus, so I started asking them questions.  My first question was: What is your favorite animal: Evan said either a fox or an Artic fox, Rowan's was a long finned Maco shark ( or a hammerhead), and Joshua's favorite animals are bats.  I asked where they would like to live if they could live anywhere.  Joshua said Oregon, and both Rowan and Evan said Australia.  Where would they like to serve their mission: Joshua said England because that's where his aunt Tara lives.  Of course Evan and Rowan both said Australia.  There were more questions but I can't remember them right now.  Every time I would stop for a minute Rowan would say:  "Ask us some more questions."  It was a fun way to get to know more about my grandsons and it stopped them from pinching and fidgeting in the backseat.

When we get back to the house the boys gather up their stuff and they all go do to Evan's to play for awhile.  It was time for me to get ready to go back to Vernon.  I went to Sam's Club to get gas and some candy for my Primary class.  Regular gas is $1.99.  That is the cheapest that I've seen it for awhile.  

The plan was for me to drive my car and for James to drive the truck, pulling the trailer.  When I got back from Sam's Club James said he had decided he wanted to go with me.  I was excited!  He drove and I read to him.  

When we get to Vernon it's raining very hard.  After we get settled in we watch the Garage Sale Mystery, The Wedding Dress.  I had already seen it but I wanted James to see it too.  Time for bed.

This just in from the Grand Canyon:

Tristyn, Lexi, Trina, and Sheri

Sheri posted on Facebook:  "I can do hard things, and I have to do it again tomorrow.  I'm so thankful for such strong, inspiring women who encourage me to try hard things.  This was the hardest thing I have done in my life, but also the best." #canyongirlsforlife

Saturday, May 9, 2015

A surprise mother's day delivery from Brian.

It made me cry when I read his card.

Thank you Brian.

Brian, Kim, Joe, and Alex are at the cabin.  Kim is totally happy.  Not only are their elk camped in our backyard, but it snowed!

You can only see the elk's heads because they are all laying down.

 



I started out the day by going to Evan's and Joshua's soccer game.  I got to sit by Sheri.  When she asked me what I wanted for mother's day, I told her a pedicure, and she agreed.  I love looking at my toes after I get a pedicure.



Well, at least the ones on my right foot anyway.

As he did last Saturday James worked all day on the house.  This time he was replacing drywall in the laundry room.  We had drywall dust throughout the house, but it's all in the name of progress.  He had to do some remodeling when a water pipe stuck out beyond the drywall line.  He stopped in time to get me flowers, pick up Adam, and go to Michael's state track meet.

Beautiful!

While James was at the state track meet I was at Addy and Ruby's dance recital at Williams Field High School in Gilbert.  I was there with Trina, Darrel, Rowan, Lola, Tristan, Rhia, Susy and Bob Case and Bryce, Lexy, and Kylee.  I don't know where Kreed. We loved watching the girls dance.  Each of them performed in two numbers and then in the finale.  Addy was in "Uptown Funk" and "Halo", and Ruby performed to "Workin' at the Carwash" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".  Kayla was also in the same dances Addy was in. Ruby was on our side of the stage so I got some photos of her during her dances.  Addy was on the other side of the stage and was in the second row so I couldn't get any pictures of her during her dances.

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

"Workin' at the Carwash"

The finale

Ruby and Addy



Ruby in her "Workin' at the Carwash" pose.

Kayla and Addy

Michael had quite a family cheering section at the track meet.  Paul, Stacy, Joshua, Dallin, Jared Ammon, Adam, James, and Sheri.



Mesa Community College.

Harold, Vickie, Monte and his family were there too. Harold and Monte both coach for Show Low.  The Show Low girls took state in their division.

Go Michael!

 The Gonzales fan club minus Stacy.

Paul was happy to have all of his sons at the event.

Michael is the one in the white headband.  He ended up coming

in sixth.  He was not happy.  His family is proud of him.

We love you Michael!

 

Look at the top three runners in the 800 meter

for Chandler.

Harold and Monte and Show Low girls are

Division III champs!

I am ending the day with this picture of Ruby horseback riding.

She had this picture taken at a birthday party she went to today.

 

 

 









Saturday, April 25, 2015

This picture was taken today near Big Lake, Arizona.

 

Well I woke up this morning feeling as if I had never had a steroid shot.  I should have had it yesterday instead of Thursday but they failed to tell me it was only going to last one day.  I guess I am going to either be taking aspirin or Ibuprofen most of the day.  I missed going to Evan and Josh's soccer game. 

 

I finally got my talk completely written and now I need to repeat it at least 10 times.  At least that's why my coach, Mr. James says.

 

Before leaving for conference this evening James and Paul gave me a priesthood blessing.  I was most appreciative. 

 

I was very touched by the amount of support I got from my kids.  Stacy invited all of her boys to come.  None of the older ones did except Michael, but Adam texted me and told me he would like a copy of my talk.  Joshua, Paul, Stacy, Michael, and Alexis, Kim, Joe, Sheri, Ian, Darrel, Trina and Lola all came, and of course James was there as was Cathi, Terry, Laura, and Dave. 

 

I think the theme of the meeting was about families although there was a talk by Bishop Johnson of the Del Rio 1st ward on ward councils, and two talks about family history. Oh yes, and the Tempe Mission President, President Toone, and his wife spoke about missionary work.  President Toone is the biggest man I have ever met.

 My talk was entitled "The Family is Ordained of God" and I mainly spoke about my family and my testimony.  Afterwards some of us went to Chili's.



Sheri is a baby hog

James had his turn.

 

I love Lola's face in this picture.

Lola knows where the camera is.

 

Boy I look old!

Selfies!

 

It was a good night, but I am glad it's over.  I can enjoy the session tomorrow without any stress.









Saturday, March 7, 2015

My good friend Betty Bogle is having this "ark" built in her

backyard for her grandkids.  I love it!  James could do this at the cabin!

 

Joshua getting ready to stop the ball at this morning's soccer game.

 

James went to the game this morning with me.  Afterwards I wanted to go to El Sol and get a breakfast burrito but unbeknownst to us today was the Ostrich Festival Parade.  I didn't realize this because the Ostrich Festival itself isn't until next week.  We had to go to Filiberto's instead and although their breakfast burrito was good it wasn't as good as El Sol's.  James and I bought one and we each had half. 

 

Michael and Alexis went on their Saturday run this morning.  Afterwards I told Michael he could have a bottle of our Smart Water.  Alexis got first and second in her two events yesterday at the track meet. 

 

James spent the day building a bed frame for Michael.



 



 

I missed Sandra Wilhelm's DoTerra party today.  I messaged her that I do want to buy a physician's kit from her though.  I was busy shampooing the carpet in the living room and washing baseboards in the hall and entryway. 

 

I also worked on my blog and then fixed some homemade macaroni and cheese with bacon for dinner.  It was actually very tasty. 

 

This evening Joshua, Stacy, and I played a game of Clue.  Paul helped Joshua and he ended up winning.  He guessed Mustard, Dining Room and Pistol which was right. I had thought it was Green, Dining Room and Pistol. 

 

I went with James to get water at Walgreen's because the distiller is still not working.  Afterwards we went by to check the church.  This is the last night he is assigned to do this, at least this time around.