Monday, August 13, 2012

I went on a 40 minute walk this morning.  I love walking in the early morning just before the sun comes up.  The air is crisp and cool.  Came home and read from the Book of Mormon and our Marie Antionette book with James.  I spent the rest of the morning getting ready for our trip to the valley. 

We left around noon.  It was cool and cloudy and starting to rain.

 

  It was hard to leave knowing that we were going to the valley where the temperatures have been around 115. We stopped at the Circle K in Show Low for James's favorite tuna sandwiches and two diet Dr. Peppers.  You get a drink for 25 cents when you buy a sandwich.  We bought 3 sandwiches and got 2 drinks for 25 cents.

I am driving so James can sleep off his meds.  I went the Salt River way because I know James likes it better.  He also thinks it's shorter but I am not so sure.  I hate the Salt River way.  The road is like a snake even before you get to Salt River.  I will only come this way again if it's the only choice or if I am really hungry for a green chile burro from Burger House!

We picked up the trailer and some equipment from Bill Valentic's storage yard in Chandler.  Bill has been kind enough to let James store his equipment there.  Thanks so much Bill.

 We drove out to Troon North which is beyond Pinnacle Peak in Scottsdale so James could leave the equipment and trailer.  He will be out in the morning at 6am. The ever famously undependable Lazoya brothers failed to do the forming they promised to do today.  James will have to do it in the morning.  Hopefully he will have someone to help him.
I did I mention that the Lazoya's never answered one of James's many phone calls.

We are staying at Sheri and Ian's house.  Alex gave up his nice cool downstairs bedroom and bath for us. 
I left James sitting on Sheri's couch while Sheri and I went to Drea's to pick up some Visalus shake powder.  Drea made us each an orange julius shake and she even made one for us to take back to James.  They were delicious!  I bought enough for me to have two shakes a day for a month.  I am taking the 90 day weight loss challenge with Drea.  I am very anxious to get started but not before I have a Jersey Mike's sub which was our next stop.  James loved the shake and his philly cheesesteak sub from JM.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

 Again, James made it to sacrament meeting and then had me take him home because it is difficult for him to sit for three hours.  Donnie Borrego was the youth speaker in sacrament meeting.  He spoke on the fourth article of faith.  His Dad, James was also a speaker.  Brother James Borrego is the fire chief here in Vernon.  He talked about serving his mission in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I wonder if Carmen met him.
Charity Pope, Clint Pope's wife was the other speaker.  She spoke on missionary work and temple work.  She talked about her Temple Journal where she records her feelings after going to the temple.  I love that idea!
In Sunday School Brother Wilhelm gave a lesson from Alma 40-42 entitled "The Great Plan of Happiness."  Alma's discourse to his erring son Corianton is a powerful message about justice and mercy.  Brother Wilhelm said that justice is masculine and mercy is feminine.  I missed where he got this information but I would agree for the most part.  Here is a quote from the lesson manual: "We are in a fallen state.  We are mortal, subject to death and imperfect.  In this fallen state we cannot dwell in the presence of God.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ appeased the demands of justice.
I gave the lesson in young women's on "The Purpose and Value of Education."  I loved the story at the beginning of the lesson about Jeffrey R. Holland and his Dad.  Here is a quote from the lesson:  " "Education is a vital part of our growth on earth.  As we gain knowledge, we will learn to appreciate all the the Lord has provided for us.  Increased knowledge and educational training will help us in every aspect of our lives and make us better able to build the kingdom of God."
We had a visitor in Young Women's today.  Her name was Journey and she had the cutest southern accent.  She is from Georgia and comes with a bit of southern charm.  She walked right up to me and shook my hand and introduced herself.  Journey joined in our discussion and was a delight to have in class.  She loves large animals and is here visiting Ann and Wes Miller helping them with their cattle.  She can hardly wait for branding day.  Journey is not a member of the Church but I would love to have her as part of our Young Women's group.  The girls all seemed to enjoy her as much as I did.

After church I went home and had a green chile burro for lunch.  James was sleeping.  When he got up he grilled us steaks and fixed a salad.  What a guy!!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

 I went for a walk this morning and when I returned James said he wanted me to go with him to the Mangum Reunion in Nutrioso where he is meeting his Dad. I hadn't planned on going but I could tell James really wanted me to and if he's on his medication he really shouldn't be driving.  I hurried and took a shower and got ready to go. 
When we arrived in Nutrioso we looked for a parking lot full of cars but did not see any. We drove the 8 miles to Alpine and James finally contacted his Dad on the phone.  The reunion is in Luna, New Mexico.  We new we had found the place when we saw Oran and Alicia standing outside.  There were actually only 7 cars, 8 including ours, in the parking lot.  There were quite a few Lambson's in attendance.

A picture of Oran with his sister Luella who is 96 years old.  The woman standing is Luella's granddaughter.

Alicia, Uncle Delbert, and James.  James is telling uncle Delbert how much he enjoyed the two poems he had written and recited.  One of them was about a Christmas quilt his mother, Annie Laura Mangum Lambson had made him(Uncle Delbert).

James reminiscing with his cousin Albert Lee (we call him Lee), about old times.  I had a nice visit with Lee's wife Polie too but the picture I took of her didn't turn out.  Lee and Polie lived in Chandler for awhile and I remember the delicious candied yams Polie would bring to our Thanksgiving celebrations.  I still have the receipe and I make them for Thanksgiving every year.

I don't know who the people seated are but the man standing with the trademark red suspenders is Oran's youngest brother, Uncle Kay.  Kay lived by us in Chandler for awhile.  He told an interesting Mangum story about one of the Mangum brother's getting into a fight with someone who had rustled one of his cows and was butchering it.  This Kay Mangum beat the cattle rustler up and shoved him inside the gutted cow and covered him over with the cow hide.  Both sides lived to tell the story.

I guess I enjoy these Mangum reunions because my great grandmother, Lydia Ellen Mangum and James's grandmother Annie Laura Mangum were sisters.  I feel a kinship with these people.  It is interesting to hear the stories of the simple lives they led.  Most of them lived in small communities on ranches and had very little in the way of worldly goods.  They knew the things that were important, their families, and the gospel. 

We had a nice potluck lunch and headed back to Vernon.  We read our scriptures and from our Victoria Holt book about Marie Antionette, and then James took a long nap.  I worked on my young women's lesson on the importance of education.

 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Happy 6th Birthday to this handsome boy!

I love this guy so much!!  One of my favorite times at the cabin with him was the night before he left.  He snuggled on the couch with me while we watched "The Wizard of OZ." 

Rowan requested donuts for breakfast so before going to work his Dad went out and bought enough for him and the girls.  This afternoon he had a birthday party with his friends.  His Mom bought snakes at the Dollar Store and his Dad got swords and the kids fought the snakes with their swords just like real Ninjas!  I love you very much Rowan and hope you had a wonderful day!  His mom made him a Lego cake so it's donuts for breakfast and cake and ice cream for dinner.

I drove James to Orange Tree Golf Course in Phoenix this morning so he could bid a job for them.  I don't like him driving right after he's taken his drugs because they make him so tired.

I had lunch with one of my dearest friends, Karen Schneider.  She took me to our favorite restaurant, Firebirds, where we each had their sour dough bread, coconut shrimp, and a hot fudge sundae.  It was scrumptious!  Thanks Karen for lunch and the books: "The Beginning of Better Days, Divine Instruction to Women from the Prophet Joseph Smith", and "Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch."  I really do miss you!!

After lunch James and I started for home. We placed at order for green chili burros at Burger House but I couldn't eat mine until this evening after we got home.  We had a nice surprise when we got home...elk grazing in our back yard!   

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Darrel and Trina insisted that we sleep in their bedroom while they slept on the couches.  It was so nice of them but so unnecessary.  We would gladly have slept on the couches.  We do appreciate their hospitality.
James's MRI was scheduled for 10:30 but he had to be there by 10:00 to fill out paperwork.  First, he dropped me off at Sheri's.  Sheri had a day planned for us to celebrate my birthday.  First we went to Sweet Tooth Fairy's in Scottsdale to get some cupcakes and cake bites.  I had the vanilla cupcake and let me just tell you that it is delicious.  It taste's homemade and it isn't too big and doesn't have too much frosting.  I loved it!
At around 12:15 we met Christy Wanlass and Drea Boles at the Paradise Bakery on Alma School and Queen Creek in Chandler for lunch.  Sheri bought my lunch.  I had the chinese chicken salad and creamy chicken soup with rice.  Very yummy!  Thanks Sheri.  After lunch we went for a pedicure, Sheri's treat again. I love looking at my toes after a pedicure, even if they are crooked.

After the pedicure it was time to pick up Alex from school, and then Max and Evan.  Ben has football practice until 5:30.  Joshua got home from school around 3:30.  Sheri, Max, Evan and I picked him up and took him to Target for his birthday date. Of course Joshua wanted a Lego set.  We finally ended up with a Batman Lego set and a ghost-monster smaller set.  After checking out I got pizza and a drink for Joshua and he was very happy.  Back at home Max and I put the Lego sets together.  Max did most of the work.  Thanks Max. 

Joshua had to take some time out to do his homework.

A happy, satisfied boy.

This evening I went with Kim and Sheri to dinner at the Olive Garden, one of my favorite restaurants.  Kim not only bought my dinner but she bought James's too.  We took it home to him.  He loves their stuffed chicken marsala.  I had chicken and shrimp with pasta and alfredo sauce, can't remember the exact name but it was delicious!  Thank you Sheri and Kim for making my birthday celebration so special.  I love both of you so very much!!  On the way back to Darrel and Trina's we stopped for ice cream at a Water and Ice.  It reminded me of when we use to go to Thrifty's with the kids for FHE only instead of 25 cents a scoop this ice cream was $3.59 for a double scoop. 

 Back at Darrel & Trina's Sheri was shocked when she saw her Dad.  He was so out of it with drugs he could barely talk to them.  She says she cried all the way home and then she emailed all of her siblings and asked them to fast for James this Sunday.  We were very touched and appreciated so much her concern.  She really does love her Dad. 

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Happy 3rd Birthday to Molly!  I love this girl and miss her so much even though she wouldn't talk to me on the phone.  She had to talk to Granpa and thank him for her birthday presents. 

Molly and her presents.

James and I left for the valley around noon.  We are staying at Darrel and Trina's and have a date with Rowan for his birthday this afternoon.  First we had to take the trailer we were pulling out to Chandler to park.  Rowan was so excited to go on his "Date."  He wanted to go shopping at Toys R Us and then have dinner at Paradise Bakery.  We couldn't find exactly what he wanted at Toys R Us so we went across the street to Target.  You can always find something you want at Target.  He got the Sumari Castle and a Darth Mall Lego watch.  He could care less about the watch, he just wanted the Darth Mall action figure. 

Rowan and his castle

When we were at Paradise Bakery Rowan wanted to take a cookie home to both of his sisters.  I told him I brought some cookies for them that I had made.  How sweet that he wanted to share with his sisters!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

I went for a walk this morning for about 35 minutes.  I am gradually working up to 1 hour and hopefully will be able to go 3 miles and burn 300 calories.
James gets up in the morning and after breakfast and scriptures he takes his meds and lays down for a nap.  This morning he slept until 11 and then decided it was time to get up and work on payroll.  It took a long time because he had to email about sixteen pages to John at the payroll company.  We have two new guys who are not in the system.
The weather is absolutely gorgeous.  It clouds up and rain s and cools down to 70 degrees.  I feel like I am in heaven.  James took me to lunch at El Rancho today and I discovered their shrimp tacos.  Delicious!
Some of the things I did today: made chocolate chip and peanut butter chip cookies using a new receipe that calls for pudding.  They were quite tasty.  Talked to my friend Karen Schneider.  Played Scramble on my phone, watched Foodnetwork, and watched Misty Mae and Kerri win another volleyball match.  They play for the gold tomorrow against the other team from the US.  Go Misty and Kerri!

My yummy cookies.  Thanks Marci Coombs for the receipe!