Sunday, October 14, 2012

I love Sundays.  This is the first time I have been to sacrament meeting since we went with Jared and Tricia in Texas on September 15th.  I have missed taking the sacrament and mingling with friends.  It was nice having Brian, Kim, Joe, Michael, and Alex attend sacrament meeting with us.  Westin Hall was the youth speaker.  He spoke on the 6th Article of Faith.  He has a great sense of humor.  He says: "I hope you are all wide awake cuz I'm going to put you to sleep."  A new couple who just moved here from Mesa, the Curtis's were the main speakers.  I told Natalie we should get Sister Curtis in Young Women's. 

I realized that I didn't get a good picture of LeeAnn Hunsaker at our Young Women's activity the other night so I took one of her today.

LeeAnn is our youngest Beehive.  She is artistic, sings in the choir and plays the flute and the clarinet.  She is
a very sweet girl and I love her dearly.  She and her cousin Kilee spent the night with me this summer.

After the block the young women and their leaders had a song practice with Sister Jones the Stake Young Women's President.  Next week is stake Young Women's in Excellence and we are singing the song introduced at the General Young Women's meeting this year, "Arise to the Mountain."  I'm fine with singing but I am not so sure I will have it memorized like they want us to.  After the song practice we had class presidency meetings.  I met with Shelly Applegate, the Mia Maid class president. 

Back at home James and I fixed lunch for everyone before Kim, Brian, Joe, and Michael left for home.Alex is going home with James in the morning.  James has some more work to do at the Yoshimine's.

  I marinated some chicken this morning and James grilled it while I fixed rice pilaf and corn.  It was a nice way to say goodbye to our guests and to wish them a safe trip home.

James went home teaching this afternoon while I took a nap.  At 6:00 I attended a YM/YW leadership meeting put on by our bishopric at the church.  All three members of the bishopric spoke.
Brother Applegate talked about teaching youth how to lead.  He said that we work for the youth.  He encouraged us to have our youth ready for BYC.  He also said class presidents should make assignments.  There should also be reporting on assignments given.  Advisors should be doing training in class presidency meetings.  He said as far as knowing what to teach that the Lord would tell us.
Brother Smith talked about being called but not necessarily chosen.  We are only chosen if we act as the Savior would act if he were here.  He encouraged us to read the first five chapters of the Church Handbook and he taught from D&C 121:34-46.  He said there should be no unrighteous dominion and that we should be patient and kind like the Savior.  In the Church and the family people, not some much objectives, are what' important.
Bishop Hall talked about being involved in the lives of the youth and letting them know that you love them.  He encouraged us to use technology as a tool.  He said that leadership should be united. 
This was one of the very best training meetings that I have ever been too.  I felt motivated and inspired when I left.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

I made blueberry muffins for Alex, and poppyseed almond muffins for James this morning.  Of course I shared them with everyone.  I also cooked some ham for everyone.  It was a casual, relaxing day. 
Kim and I played a game of 5 Crowns.  Brian won. 
Kim and Brian wanted to go on a Ranger ride up on the mountain to see the leaves but the Ranger was out of gas.  The boys took a few too many rides yesterday.  Brian went in to Vernon to get some gas but the station had no gas.  I told Kim they could take my car. 
Joseph and Michael were in a silly mood. 

This afternoon around 5pm. Kim, Brian, James and I went to the Vernon Park for an advertised Navajo Taco dinner.  Brian paid for us.  Thanks Brian.  The tacos were delicious!  Afterwards Kim, Brian, and I got fry bread with honey and powdered sugar to take home.  The perfect dessert!
Alex and Grandpa went out looking for coyotes this evening.  They shot one but it was too dark to find so they are going back in the morning.
Kim and Brian watched the movie The Avengers.  James and I watched the first episode of the new season of The Mentalist.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Colder today with the high around 55 degrees. I had to take a picture of the clouds because we haven't had any for so long.

  I guess everyone heard the rainstorm last night except me.  The boys went on a long Ranger ride.  They played ball games on the porch, rock band, Hearts, and 5 Crowns. 

Kim and I watched the best 3 episodes of The Mentalist EVER!!  I think she's hooked now.
We also fixed a spaghetti dinner for everyone.  Cody and Dallin ate with us before they left for home.  I don't think they wanted to leave but Cody had to work at Harkin's tomorrow. 
Brian got here around 9pm.  Kim mentioned that she would like a cookie so he brought her a dozen from Paradise Bakery.  He also brought her a bag of chocolate candy.  On Tuesday when I went to the store I bought $35 worth of Halloween candy but between the boys, Sheri, and I, and the young women, it's all gone.  

Thursday, October 11, 2012

James and Alex went fishing again today.  Yesterday James didn't have a license but today he did. 

Nice "Catch and Release."

Alex's smaller fish.

Alex's big  fish.

It was a great day for the fishermen.

Sheri, Kim, Evan and I took a ride up the mountain to see the fall leaves.  Kim, Evan and I started out on the Ranger and Sheri was in my car.  It started to rain so Evan decided to ride with his mom in the car.  Kim and I stayed on the Ranger a few more miles and then we stopped and got in the car too.  

A carpet of leaves.

When we got back to the cabin it was time for Sheri to go home.  Alex asked to stay and go home with grandpa on Monday.  So when it was time to go Sheri, Ben, Max, and Evan left and Alex stayed. 

Sheri had to watch a couple of episodes of The Mentalist before she left.  I have her hooked on the show now.  I am going to miss her and her boys.  We had alot of fun the last couple of days.  I am grateful that Kim is still here and I'm looking forward to spending more time with her.

Kim and I both went shopping at Walmart and then we came home and fixed tacos for dinner.  The boys, Cody, Dallin, Joe, Michael, and Alex went to Native New Yorker and got wings.  James, Kim and I enjoyed our "nacho" tacos.  (We used chips instead of taco shells.)

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

James and Alex went fishing today at Silver Creek by the fish hatchery.  I guess they had a great time because they want to go back tomorrow.

Back at home Sheri, Ben, Max, Evan and I went on a Ranger ride.  We drove up the side of the "Pit" and parked the Ranger and walked to the swing.  Ben and Max have been looking forward to the swing. 

This swing goes out over the hill and it looks

like about a 30 foot drop to the ground.

 Max is flying.

Safely back on the ground.

Evan pushing Max.  

Gee I wonder what Sheri's doing?

Ben's turn.

I wonder if she can text and swing at the same time.

 Hanging on with both hands.

I think she had texting withdrawals.

Evan posing on the swing, but not swinging. 

No way!!

Evan kept asking to go down the pit.  So we finally left the swing, which he did not like, and Sheri took us for a ride down the pit on the Ranger.  It was fun because this time we didn't go from the top.  Last time I went from the top and it was too scary.

Evan loved it!

Cody and Dallin arrived this afternoon and so did Kim, Joe, and Michael.  Kim is helping my young women make cake pops this evening.  Sheri made 3 cakes and I made one to use for tonight.  

We had a house full of seven boys.  Some of them enjoyed playing Rockband.

Michael, Dallin, Joe, and Cody Miner.

The music put Evan to sleep.

After the young women got here the boys moved over to the other couch and played their guitars and sang.

MaKenzi, Trenda, and Kilee.

Trenda and Kilee.

Taking a bite.

Spooky cake pops.

Cake pops and Evan.

Sister Nicoll (Kaeli), Jordyn, Hope, and LeeAnn.

Working on posters for the Halloween party.

Kim and Jordyn. That's Mary by

the dining room table.

Hope, Trenda, Kilee, Mary, Paris, and Hailey.

Mary.

Shelly and Sister Soderquist working on posters.

Spooky bouquet we made for Sister Miller who was

released as a YW counselor last month.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

While James is working hard at the Yoshimine's I am playing up here with Sheri and her boys.
I made the boys some monkey bread for breakfast.

 This was yummy!

Max, Evan and I had a marshmallow shooting contest outside.

Max was the contest winner.

The boys went down to Chocolate Lake.  Sheri got a text from Ben that Alex got bit by a snake.  I panicked until we found out it was only a water snake. 

Evan wanted a hat so I gave him this one.  He liked it at first but then he decided he wanted a red and purple one.

You gotta love this kid.

  I needed to go to town to get supplies for tomorrow night's Mutual activity.  Sheri and the boys went with me.  We stopped at Little Caesar's for lunch then drove toward's Walmart and stopped by Show Low Creek and ate our pizza.  There is a 1.5 mile hike you can take beyond the creek up in the trees which we took.  The boys loved it, especially Evan.

I think Alex was checking out the creek when I took

this picture.

That's Sheri with the red shirt.

Alex and Max at Show Low Creek.

My hiking buddies.

After our hike we went on to Walmart to do a little shopping and then we headed back home to Vernon. 

Sheri and I watched The Mentalist.  Now she's addicted too.  

James came home after a hard days work and brought us a bag of green chili burros.  It was too late to eat them this evening.

 

Monday, October 8, 2012

James left for the valley this morning to finish the Yoshimine's job.  I had big plans for the day.  I was going to go in to town to do some shopping but it never happened.  Instead I stayed home and puttered around the house.  There have been four seasons of The Mentalist and they have recently been featuring several episodes everyday on TNT.  I have been taping them and James and I have been watching them and we have about 30 episodes taped that we haven't watched.  James said he would never watch that many and it would be okay if I watched some episodes without him.  I watched three of four episodes today.
I did go in to Vernon to get the mail and to get some refreshments at the Vernon Store.

Sheri and her boys arrived around 9:30 this evening.  I was very excited to see them!

Sheri watching The Mentalist with me and

playing Head Banz with Evan.

 I love the expression on Evan's face.

Tricia sent me this picture of James at his first band concert.  He plays the french horn because a former band teacher told him it was the hardest instrument to play.  

 You have to admire this boy for choosing the hardest instrument.