Monday, January 30, 2017

1 Nephi 19:7-24
Have there been times in my life when I chose not to retaliate after a wrong was done to me?  How did I feel?
Jacob 1-2
DC 18:1-10
How can we be more supportive of our leaders whom the Lord has called?
Talk: "Bishop, Help!"
By: Dallin H. Oaks
April 1997
GC:   'No Greater Joy Than to Know That They Know' by Elder K. Brett Nattress

"I am eternally grateful for my angel mother and for all angels who love children perfectly, notwithstanding their imperfections.  

I firmly believe that all sisters - I will call them 'angels' - are mothers in Zion, whether or not they are married or bear children during this earthly experience.  years ago the First Presidency

proclaimed: 'Motherhood is near to divinity.  It is the

highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.  It places her 

who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.'"

My angel mother.

I didn't get up until 6:30 this morning.  I guess it's because I didn't go to bed until 11.  I actually fixed James some breakfast this morning.  I read one of my favorite scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants today: "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God." (DC 18:10)

I was ready to leave for the valley by noon but we didn't actually leave until 12:20.  James had to drain all the water lines in case it freezes while we are gone.  Oh yes, something else slowed us down.  We got stuck in the driveway again! James digs us out and away we go.  Our first stop was at the Vernon post office, then it was on to the Splash and Dash in Show Low for our carwash and gas.  We also went to the Show Low post office, Arby's, and Dennis's to take him Amanda's senior pictures that Jenifer sent back with us.  James wanted to go the Globe way to pick up burros for Cathi and Terry and so we headed back towards Show Low.  

When we drove up in Terry and Cathi's driveway James started to panic.  All the tools he had left in the back of his truck were gone.  He went inside and came back with a big smile on his face.  Terry was worried about them and unloaded them and loaded them into the back of his truck which is always parked in the garage.  That is a good brother!

When Cathi asked Terry what he wanted her to fix for dinner he said: "James and Karen are coming down and James will stop and get us burros.  I am so glad we went the Globe way!

Cathi helped me carry my things in.  As soon as we unloaded the car we went down to Sheri's for dinner.  She almost always invites us when we are here.  We had salmon, rice, and asparagus.  

Sheri told us about an experience our friends the Boles's had in the temple.  They had decided to sell their house and move to Gilbert.  They had a buyer offer them a great price for their house and they found their dream house in Gilbert.  They went to the temple to verify their decision but did not feel good about moving, so they are staying in Chandler.  I love this story!

James went to Dan Taylor's to pick up the cabinet Dan made for the Bowen job.  This is why we had to come down today.  James has to be finished with this job by tomorrow.  

I have a hard time sleeping tonight because I took 3 Tramadols.  I read a chapter to James from "Boys in the Boat."

Family Photos

Rowan's pinewood car.

Two years ago.

Taken a couple of years ago.

I sure do like these people!

The newlyweds again.

I just can't get enough of them.

'

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Which temple is this?

3 Nephi 13:16-34

How can we make sure we are laying up treasures in heaven and not on earth?

Alex: "By living true to the gospel and following the commandments we can be assured that the kingdom of God will be opened to us."  

Kim: "By putting the things of eternal importance FIRST in our lives.  Make service and scriptures and prayer and family the most important."

Sheri: " I think it has to do with the desires of our hearts.  Are we striving every day to be better and to do His will?  We have to start with the desire."

GC: 'The Doctrine of Christ' by Brian K. Ashton

"The doctrine of Christ allows us to access the 

spiritual power that will lift us from our current

spiritual state to a state where we can 

become perfected."

James left this morning around 7 in the truck for the valley.  It was 9:45 when I left.  I stopped by Amy's house to see Claire but she was gone to Flagstaff to get Marlie a Halloween costume.  I left her glass pumpkin with the visiting teaching message on it and Amy told me that Claire and Marlie are moving on November 1st.  Claire is staying in California with her dad and Marlie is going on to Washington to stay with her dad.  Claire will be with Marlie when she gets her tax return in February.  Marlie is 8 years old and is going to be baptized on Sunday.  She is very excited.  Her mom gave her permission to be baptized but her dad would not.  Luckily it only takes one parent's permission.  

I stopped at Taco Bell in Payson for a burrito supreme and then it was on to Big 2 Toyota to get a key made.  James met me there.  We had two keys made.  I went on to shop at the Dollar Store in Chandler and ended up buying dishes, small plates, two sizes of bowls and stemware for 12 people.  I want to use it for my Christmas luncheon for the sisters I visit teach.  They had to open up another register just for me.  When I got to Terry and Cathi's they helped me unload.  James got all of us Burger House burros for dinner.  Yummy!

Valley of the Sun

James and I helped Sheri watch Trina's kids this evening.  The main attraction was watching Evan build his Minecraft city.  Lola was fascinated with Roxy, Alex's pet chinchilla, and she kept calling her "bunny."  Ruby had homework to do so we went upstairs to work at  the dining room table. Sheri got home from visiting teaching and asked who wanted to go to Target.  Of course I was in.  Ruby wanted to go but needed to finish her homework.  I told her I would bring her a surprise.  James came up and helped her finish her homework.  I enjoyed shopping with Addy.  She helped me pick out a bracelet with Ruby.  I got me some Biolage shampoo to use while I am at Cathi's.  

 I love these kids!

When Trina picked up her kids James loaded the shelf unit I got for Rowan to put his Legos in into the back of her car.  I was surprised that it fit.  While James was "loading" I took Ruby and Rowan in to Cathi's to see the dogs.  Rowan loves Indy and Ruby likes them both:

Indy loves anyone who will scratch his tummy.

Double treatment.  He thinks he's at a spa.

Lady was scared and hid under the table.

I visited with Cathi this evening and she told some funny story about making cowpie picture frames to sell when she was a teenager.  She said that after they get hard they don't smell.  She and her girlfriend ask for a corner of her grandpa's barn to start a business and without knowing what they were doing he said yes.  She said her mom didn't know about it until they took the picture frames to a bazaar and were very successful in selling them.  

The last time I was here she told me about piercing her own ears with her girlfriend and then running thread through them because they didn't have any earrings until they got to go to Woolworth's in the "big city."  When you live in the country you have to find creative ways to entertain yourself.

James and Adam went to get Jared Ammon's car.  He was already at work and asked if he could keep it one more night so he would have a ride home at 2 a.m.   Of course James let him.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The Arizona desert is beautiful right now,

but not quite as beautiful as the California desert.

 El Nino was good to these mountains

near Death Valley.

Well the primary results are in for Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah and I must say that I am disappointed in the Arizona voters.  Trump and Clinton took Arizona and Nevada, and Cruz and Sanders took Utah and Idaho.  This is what the delegate distribution looks like:

The only person I feel is qualified to run our country is Cruz, but I don't think he stands much of a chance to beat Trump.

Hailey Chaffin came by this morning to pick up the materials to teach my Primary class this Sunday.  I am her visiting teacher so I gave her the visiting teaching handouts for this month.  I appreciate Hailey and her willingness to teach my Primary class.  I know that she is someone that I can depend on.

I left this afternoon around 12:30 for the valley.  When I got into Show Low I stopped to get gas and to wash my car.  While I was pumping gas I realized that I had left my Sunday clothes at home.  I thought about it and decided I needed to go back to get them because I did not want to go shopping for clothes when I got to the valley.  When I returned home I was very tired so decided I would take a nap before leaving.  I called and told James so he wouldn't worry when I was so late.  I ended up leaving around 4:00.  I made two stops and arrived at Cathi and Terry's before 7:30.  

James was happy to see me and helped me unload the car.  

We went to bed quite early and so did Cathi and Terry as they have to get up early for their mission.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

In honor of International Women's Day

James left for the valley around 9:30 this morning, which leaves me to winterize the place.  Since the temperatures aren't going to dip below freezing at least I don't have to drain all the pipes.  All I have to do is go to the well house and turn off the pump and water valve.

I was finally ready to go a little after 2 p.m.  I went out to the well house and flipped the pump switch to off.  When I went over to turn the water valve off there was a paper with a green, what I thought to be liquid, substance on it.  I tried to kick it away with my foot but it ended up sticking to the bottom of my shoe.  I had a terrible time trying to get it off and got this powerful stick goo all over my hands.  I guess James was using it to trap a rat.  No rats were harmed by this substance but a wife was terribly agitated.

I had to abandon my shoes and leave them at the back door.  I washed my hands about five times with hand soap and then rubbed them with hand sanitzer, but there was still a sticky residue.  For some reason, don't ask me why, I had some baby oil in our bathroom medicine cabinet. I rubbed it one my hands and the stickiness disappeared.  It worked as good as WD-40 and smelled alot better.  

I stopped in Show Low to wash my car and get a drink and a corndog at Sonic and then I was on my way.  James went the Salt River way and had to wait 35 minutes for blasting on the highway where they are working near Superior.  If he had read the sign leaving Show Low he would have gone the Payson way like I did.  

My trip was pretty uneventful.  I made my usual stop at the Circle K in Star Valley for a potty break and a Big Hunk.  

The desert looks beautiful right now.  There are little yellow flowers blooming everywhere. I should have stopped and taken a picture.

I drove into Cathi and Terry's driveway where James was waiting to carry in my things for me around 6:30.   We dropped off my load of castoffs at Goodwill and then went to the Golden Coin Chinese place for dinner.  We both ordered entrees when we should have shared one.  They were huge!  Oh well, now we will have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.  

James forgot his phone so we went back to the house to get it and then we were going to take my car to Erik's.  In his frustration of looking for his phone he locked his keys in his truck, and still no phone.  The only think he could think of was that it must have fallen into one of the boxes we dropped off at Goodwill.  We went back and sure enough he and one of the attendants heard the phone ringing when James used my phone  to call his number.  It took them awhile to find it, but they finally did, in the garbage.  I would say we got lucky!

We had to borrow Terry's truck to drop my car off at Erik's.  He said we needed to drop it off tonight so the engine would be cool when he looked at it in the morning.

Back at Cathi and Terry's I asked them to explain what they do at the Records Operations Center where they are serving their mission.  They explained that there are five things they do and all of them are to prepare online information in newspapers and other information sources for online indexing.  Terry said there are 15 billion names to be indexed in the granite vaults in Utah.  It is exciting to see this work move forward in preparation for the Millenium.

Cathi and Terry are in charge of 65 other service missionaries called to work at the center. Here is their "crew".  Can you find Cathi & Terry? (Hint: They are in the back row).  Each missionary is holding up an activities tracker sheet on things they accomplished in preparing for a zone conference.

 They are so perfect for this job.  They both are patient and kind,  good with people, and have amazing computer skills.  I am so proud of them and so grateful for their example to James and me.

Bridget, relaxing in her basket on the counter.

We also got to see Patrick and his two little boys Hunter and Cameron.  Tomorrow Patrick will be 34 years old.  I remember the day he was brought home from the hospital.  Jonathan got out a pair of shoes for him and told his mom he wanted Patrick to go outside and play.

 Patrick and Heather with their children,

Cameron, Raelynn Rose, and Hunter.

This next picture is of a couple I have known all of my life.  Peggy Butler was our very best customer when I worked in my mom and dad's store, Double M Market.  Her two boys, Gary and Greg worked for us and were my mom's favorites.  It is hard for me to imagine that they are celebrating their 71st wedding anniversary!

Monday, December 22, 2014

"Christmas is what we make of it.  Despite all the distractions, we can see to it that Christ is at the center of our celebration.  If we have not already done so, we can establish Christmas traditions for ourselves and for our families which will help us capture and keep the spirit of Christmas."

-President Thomas S. Monson

We left at 7:38 this morning for the valley.  Our car looked like this:

 James, putting one last item in the car. 

James dropped me off at the house and then took the rental car to the job so I could unload the car.  

Thank goodness for Adam.  He finished wrapping my gifts for me so I could get my shopping done.  I went to both Sam's Club and Costco.  Costco was insane!  I got food for tonight and food for our Christmas dinner.

 Saturday Michael's friends took him to Tucson for his birthday.

The hiked Picachio Peak.  Here is Michael at the top.

Tonight we had our annual Lambson family Christmas party and white elephant gift exchange game.  For food we had appetizer's and desserts.  Stacy sang "Christmas at Our House" and I talked about remembering what Christmas is for  Joe and Michael sang and Joe played the guitar.  Stacy read the story "Trouble at the Inn."

Here are some pictures:

 Brian opened the first gift.  It was the Taylor Lautner poster that has been passed around for years.  Notice Ben's grin in the background.  I think he may have had the poster last year.

I think that is Seth bending over but I'm not sure if he's picking a present or putting a piece in Stacy's puzzle.

Evan opened a soft and cozy blanket, but he didn't get to keep it.  Joe got to choose last and Amanda wanted the blanket so he got it for her.  Funny, because Kim brought the blanket and she chould have just given it to Amanda.

 Evan held on to the blanket for awhile.

Connor, Michael's friend, got the most awesome monkey hat.  This gift definitely went to the right person!

 Trying on the new hat.

 Looks good!

Looks like Evan got a new gift and I'm not sure what 

Sheri is looking at.

 Sheri made sure her boys, Evan and Max, knew they couldn't whine or complain about the gift they got.

Seth trying to explain to Alexis what

her gift is.  Wish I would have written it down.

Joe and Amanda

You can't see him but those are Jared Ammon's hands

opening up the Quelf game that I brought.  He ended up

taking it home.  I am pretty sure Catherine ended up with the

box of weird food and miscellaneous items that Kaitlin brought.

Max opened the gun that Connor brought, but notice how Joshua

is eyeing it.  Joshua ends up with the gun, but Max was totally a good sport about it.  He ended up with the cat food Alex brought.

Adam and Kaitlin have been friends

for over 8 years.  

  Ben looks sad.  Maybe he misses the

Taylor Lautner poster.

 Stacy discussing something with Michael while

Sheri and Alexis look on.

 Alex and Seth discussing something.

Joseph in deep thought and striking a pose.

Not sure who came up with his outfit.

This is the gift that I came home with, Nemo!

I love it because Alexis made it in her ceramic class.

He looks so cute sitting on the edge of my bathtub.

James didn't play the game.  He gave his gift, a DVD containing all four of the Superman movies to Catherine who didn't bring a gift so

she could play.

Kim brought some of the best gifts, including movie tickets and a $10 Target gift card and of course the snuggly blanket Amanda went home with.

 

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Fire in the sky

Moroni 7:12

"All things which are good cometh of God."

This morning I studied, prayed, paid some personal bills and got ready to leave for the valley.  I left at 11:15.  I went the Globe way because I was trying to get there before 3 when James had a dental appointment. I was bringing him some pants.  I didn't make it but it was ok because James washed his work pants and went on his way.

Stacy is discouraged because the kitchen sink is not working so she can't do dishes.  James did fix the sink this evening.  I do appreciate him so much.

Sheri and Kim took James and I do dinner at Carrabas this evening as part of my Mother's Day "package."  We started out with four baskets of sourdough bread and then I ordered bruschetta with goat cheese and marinara sauce.  For dinner I had the Harvest chicken salad.  The chicken was delicous and moist.  Everyone agreed, although Sheri didn't really want to come here, that the food was delicious.  Kim presented me with another gift, this picture:

 A reminder of a wonderful event.

Thank you so much Kim, I will treasure it always!

The hand of the Lord in my life today: My safe arrival in the valley.  Kim recognizing that all good things come from God.  James being so happy to see me.  The above picture of the boys at the temple cultural celebration.  Sheri being so sweet and loving.  Joshua being so positive.  Evan's sweetness and Dallin's singing.

I am truly blessed!