Sunday, July 15, 2012

A beautiful, overcast, rainy day!  I loved it.  Brother Crockett, the stake patriarch, and Brother Genet from the high council were the speakers in sacrament meeting today.  I felt like my Young Women's lesson on the Second Coming went quite well.  Today I was glad that Brother Smith attended because he had some good comments, especially when we discussed the parable of the Ten Virgins. 
The rain has made everyone happy.  We have needed it for awhile now.  Now maybe James can burn the huge piles of brush he has accumulated.
Darrel and Trina returned this evening bringing Kylie and Kayla with them.  Poor Addy wasn't feeling well and went to bed early with a stomach ache.  Trina and I watched an episode of Downton Abbey and I watched the Next Foodnetwork Star.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Since today is Friday the 13th I thought of my Mom.  She was born on September 13th and always said Friday the 13th was her lucky day.
I went in to town today to get buttermilk so I could make my pancakes for the Trezise family before they leave tomorrow.  When I returned I played a game of Five Crowns with Kim, Sheri, Michael, and Joe.  I won. 
Soon it was time for Kim, Joe, and Michael to leave.  The boys have been up here for two weeks and I think they were ready to go home.  Michael said he missed Holly and Joe missed his cats. 
I think Darrel's kids had fun with the older boys while they were here.  They played store, using nails as a means of exchange and they played "who will marry the princess" with Addy as the princess.  They also had a blast with the bows and arrows that Trina got for her kids.  Sheri and I went on a hunt for more bows and arrows but it ended up being a wild goose chase. 
Trina and Darrel left home for the weekend so that left Sheri and I to fix dinner.  We had some delicious grilled chicken.
The big news of the week is that James's phone broke and he ended up getting an iphone.  Now if we can just get him on facebook he will have joined the 21st century.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

The Trezise's and Ian Wanlass left today a little before noon,  but not before I made them my famous pancakes for breakfast along with some turkey bacon.  After breakfast Ian took Alex, Ben, Ian, and Max to the pit.  They were gone so long we almost sent out a search party.  I guess they had found a swing and Ian was having a blast pushing the boys on it.  I wish someone would have taken some pictures.

These pictures were taken just before they left.

The Trezise boys love to go barefoot.

Notice Ian with the walking stick he carved.

Everyone had to have their cup with their name on it.

James looking a little lonely.

More news from Jared and Tricia.  I guess they went to help clean the church and when Molly saw the stage she decided to perform.  Love that girl!

I went into town again today to look for bows and arrows at a swap meet.  I could find none.  I did get some poster board for my Young Women's lesson tomorrow.  I drive James crazy with all of my trips to town.  He had to make one himself tonight around 10 pm to meet Owen.  Owen has a small job for him to do on Monday morning. 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Today we went to Fools Hollow Lake.  We stopped at Kmart to get some rafts and then at Circle K to get drinks.  Everyone came except James, Kim and Joe.  When we were in Show Low it was raining but we were hopeful that it wouldn't be raining at the lake.  When we got there we had lunch and then Trina went over to rent a canoe.  They said they would rent her one but if it rained she wouldn't get a refund and it looked like it was going to rain.  So no boat today. 

That's Michael and Max out in the lake.

Addy venturing out on her pink raft.

Alex said the water was too cold. 

Ben is testing the waters.

Ruby with one of her favorite things, a stick.

This afternoon when we got home Alex found a rattlesnake over by the air conditioning unit by the back of the house.  I told them they had to kill it so they did.  Not sure what Michael is trying to tell us.

Alex with the dead snake.  He carried it off somewhere. Notice the bare feet.

Earlier Evan and Rowan were having a shooting contest in the backyard with the bows and arrows Trina bought.

I am amazed how these kids can go barefoot on the rocks and cinders.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Well it's official, Jared and Tricia and their family are residents of El Paso, Texas.  They moved last week with help from the Barney's and the Wallen's with a few mishaps, such as a blowout on the van tire and no air conditioning when they arrived.  The kids and Tricia are enjoying going on hikes and then taking a swim afterwards.

 

I love this picture of Molly and Emmy

Kim brought some games with her when she came up and the kids especially loved the Headbands game.

 

I went to Young Women's this evening.  We worked on making a Personal Progress chart for all the Young Women and the leaders.  Afterwards we had a presidency meeting and I finally got to meet the other counselor, Joell Miller.  I am definitely the oldest in the group except for Brother Smith.  We discussed all the girls and a couple of them have some major issues.  This is going to be a challenge for me.

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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Alex and Michael went down to Chocolate Lake early this morning.  They brought back a baby duck.  The mother duck and her other ducklings had all disappeared leaving this duckling to fend for himself.  The boys put him in one of the upstairs bathtubs and tried to feed him corn and cereal.  The duck stayed for about an hour and then the novelty wore off and the boys took him back to the water.  James said he would be fine because the minute baby ducks are born they can take care of themselves.  He is going to be lonely if his family doesn't return.

I took Alex, Michael, and Joe to town around noon with the intention of dropping them off at the theater to see Spiderman but on the way in to town they decided they would rather go get something to eat at El Rancho.  At least that's what Alex decided and the other guys went along with him.  After lunch we stopped at Home Depot to get a part for James but I got frustrated because I couldn't find the right part and the boys were stressing me out so I left.  Sorry James.

When we arrived back at the cabin Sheri, Ian, Ben, Ian Wanlass, Max and Evan were there.  I sat on the front porch and visited with Sheri and Trina and then we decided we needed to go shopping so we left Ian and James in charge of the kids.  While at Walmart we played "the people of Walmart".  I got the best pictures.  I also took pictures of the bare shelves.  The store was so shopped out it looked like they were going out of business, especially in the grocery department.

Monday, July 9, 2012

 James and Alex went fishing this morning at Chocolate Lake.  (I think the real name for this place is "The Oaks" but the kids called it chocolate lake the first time they went there because of Willie Wonka and the name has just stuck).  Alex caught four fish but James didn't catch any.  They saw a mamma duck with six baby ducks.  She ran off into the woods when they came.  And of course there is the dead cow becoming more bloated everyday.  Alex also caught a small snake.  They boy is at one with nature. 
This afternoon I went with Trina to Fool's Hollow Lake in Show Low.  It cost us $7 to get in.  It's become quite a big tourist attraction since James proposed to me back in 1967.  The kids swam, well they didn't really swim, but they got in and played in the water.  I took a hike around part of the lake.  There is a place to rent canoes and we want to come back and spend the day and rent a canoe.  We asked the older boys to come with us but they didn't want to.

When we first arrived we had to check out where the best place to get in the water was.  

Looking cute.

Addy and Rowan.

Ruby sniffing a pine tree because it smells so good!

One the way home we stopped at Dairy Queen.

Back at home I went down to Chocolate Lake with Alex, Joe, and Michael so Alex could fish.  It got dark before he caught anything so we had to come home.

Trina and I watched an episode of Downton Abbey this evening.  Darrel and James joined us.

Thanks Terry for fixing the waterline in Chandler.