Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Happy Birthday to James's brother Dave.  Dave is the best neighbor a person could have.  We certainly do appreciate all the things he  has done for us over the years, and still continues to do!

We left this morning to see James's Dad in Demming.  He wants James to help him put his legal affairs in order.  We met him at the Denny's where James and I had lunch.  He wasn't his usual friendly self and I could tell he was preoccupied.  I guess as he drove here Alisha was trying to follow him and he was trying to ditch her.  She finally caught up with him and joined us at our table.  Things seemed a little tense and while George and James were talking Alisha handed me a letter under the table with James's name on it.  She said that when we got to Texas to have Jared read it to him.  George cut the meeting short and after Alisha left he said she was upset because she thought he was going to give all of his assets to his kids and she would be left in the cold.  This is not true, but because of the language barrier there is alot of confusion on her part.  Plus we all know how George can be.  She has spent 29 years with him and she feels she deserves something for that.

When we left Demming we headed for El Paso which is only about another hour and a half away.  We arrived around 2pm.  The kids weren't home from school yet but Molly heard us drive up and was lookng out the window waving at us.  Molly warmed up in no time and soon I was following her around the house doing her bidding.  No problem.  I love this little girl and enjoy so much the time I can spend with her.

Molly loves her new pom poms.

Doing a cheer for me.

We spent some time in her room which she

share with Emmy.

Emmy put this sign on the door.  It says: 

Molly and Emmy's room only.  

Stay our of bad things will happen.

Yikes!  I hope Emmy doesn't find out I was in her room!

Emmy had to do a cheer for me too.

Everything Molly knows she learned

from her sisters, Emmy and Anna.

Shortly after getting home from school

James was off to football practice.

It was crazy sock day at Anna's school.

Emmy broke her pogo stick record.

She jumped over 400 times without stopping.

Practicing their "tricks" on the trampoline.

Father and son chat.

Jared's new smoker he got at Sam's Club.

Tricia had the house all decorated for Halloween.

James bought a Z-pad with his birthday money.

Anna doing her homework.

Jared & Tricia performing 

"Popcorn Popping" for the

kids at bedtime.

Of course Molly had to do it too.

Tricia fixed delicious Hawaiian haystacks for dinner.  For dessert we had candy and some pumpkin bread that I brought.  We watched part of the Lorax and then Princess Bride before going to bed.  Anna loves Princess Bride as do Emmy and James.  I think Molly prefers The Lorax.  She loves singing the songs from The Lorax.  It was a fun day!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Happy Monday!  When you reach Monday again you know you have made it through another week!
I studied this morning and then after our scriptures and family prayer together James and I sat down with our early ballots and voted.  I had received an email from my friend Lina Hatch outlining how she voted and why.  It was very helpful with the propositions.  Later we went in to town and mailed our ballots and picked up my thyroid and hormone pills at the post office.  The package had been opened which looked a little suspicious.  Hope it doesn't happen again.  Foothills Pharmacy is so nice to mail these prescriptions to me free of charge.
I spent over an hour typing a power of attorney letter for James regarding his Dad's estate.  We are going to visit him tomorrow and he wants James to be in charge of his affairs. 
I also made pumpkin bread as a trial run.  I am going visiting teaching this week and I want to take some to my sisters.  I am a little out of practice because it's been a year since I made it.  It turned out great.  I am going to take a loaf to Jared and Tricia tomorrow.

 It tastes better than it looks.  For some reason it always sinks in the middle.

Maybe I am filling the pan too full.

James grilled chicken today.  He grilled enough to last us several days.  It is so delicious, one of my favorite meals.
This evening James watched the debate between Obama and Romney on Foreign Affairs.  I tried to watch but I got disgusted with Obama so I left. 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Today in Young Women's I gave a lesson on "Avoiding Degrading Media."  Here are some of my visual aids and handouts:

It's a movie "goodie" box with handouts

for the lesson.

Warning label that some media can be

hazardous to your spiritual health.

This quote is by President Ezra Taft Benson.

It's been a busy weekend for the young women here in Vernon. Yesterday they did baptisms for the dead at the Snowflake Temple.  This evening they had Stake Young Women's in Excellence at the Show Low Stake Center.  Keep in mind that the temple is a 90 mile round trip and Show Low is a 50 mile roundtrip.  

Although the program started at 7 we had to be there at 6 for a song practice.  Sister Nicoll took the Applegate girls and I took Trenda Wilhelm, Mary Swift, and Kilee and LeeAnn Hunsaker.  Sister Soderquist is out of town at her sisters wedding.  This is the song we sang:

This is the song we sang.  It was introduced

at the General Young Women's meeting this year.

The featured speakers this evening were the President and Matron of the Snowflake Temple, Brother and Sister Baldwin who just happen to be the parents of our stake young women's president Sister Jones.  

President Baldwin thanks the young women for coming to the temple to do baptisms and then encouraged them to search for their own family names.  The last speaker was President Williams, the Show Low Stake President.  He wrote a letter to his 17 month old and 9 year old daughters and read it to the young women.

It was an enjoyable evening although I was disappointed that none of our girls participated in the Personal Progress aspect of the meeting.  There were displays set up in the cultural hall of value projects various girls had worked on.  We left around 8:30 for home since most of the girls get up at 5:30 for school.  

Program for Stake Young Women in Excellence.

I was gone this evening from 5:30 until 9.  When I left James was writing a letter to his children and their spouses.  When I returned he was just finishing it up and he said he had worked on it the entire time.  The letter is to express appreciation and to encourage them to keep the commandments, in particular, to keep the Sabbath day holy.  I do appreciate James so much!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Today we had a family Saturday.  Kim, Brian, Stacy, James and I all attended the 10 a.m. session together.  Afterwards I put all of our children, their spouses, and grandchildren's names on the temple prayer roll.  It was a good feeling.  The temple is all about families. 
"When we bless our ancestors with saving ordinances, they are suddenly endowed with power to help save our children.  Whoever seeks to help those on the other side receives help in return in all the affairs of life."-Elder John A. Widstoe.
After the temple we took Kim, Brian, and Stacy to lunch at Joe's BBQ. I loved their pulled pork sandwich!

James went back to the house and took a nap while I went out to finish my Halloween shopping.  I bought each of the kids a Halloween cup filled with candy, and also bought lots of glow sticks. 

At 5 pm we met everyone at Discovery Park in Gilbert.  Adam, Brian, and Trina were the only ones not able to be there.  Jared Ammon and Danielle came!  The older boys, Max and up, and Ian and Paul all played football in the park until it got too dark.  Addy, Ruby, Rowan, Joshua, and Evan loved playing with the glowsticks.  Stacy talked Dallin, Michael, and Joseph into playing and singing for us.  Danielle, Stacy, and Sheri visited.  Kim, Addy, Joshua and I tried to get a game of kickball going but it kind of fizzled out. 
Grandpa took a walk around the park with Ruby. 

Notice the top of the Gilbert Temple in the background.

I had to put in this picture of

Ruby that Trina sent me earlier this week.

Cute Addy.  Love the
Smile!

Alex caught this fish earlier in the day at Power Ranch.

 

 

 

 

Friday, October 19, 2012

Since Adam is still recovering from surgery Laura took me down to the Chandler Municipal Court this morning to take care of Adam's parking ticket.  The attendant told me that my license had not been suspended.  They only do that for moving violations.  That was a relief.  It was nice of Laura to take me and Adam did pay me for the ticket when I got home.  Disaster averted.

Today is my friend Charlotte Mattice's birthday.  She is 74, 10 years and 2 months older than I am.  Karen Schneider picked me up and then we went to pick up Charlotte.  We went to Applebee's and had their soup and salad lunch.  I had french onion soup and spinach, shrimp salad.  We had shooter hot fudge sundaes for dessert.  Everything was delicious, but not too filling.  Charlotte shared with us that she told her children not to contact her for her birthday.  Her son Kelly came over last Monday and pretty much told her that none of her children liked her very well.  I know Charlotte had a little "bite" to her, but I don't think any mother deserves to be told her children don't like her.  She said Karen and I were the one bright spot in her life,  so I am glad we took her out for her birthday.

Kim went with Evan and the other kindergarteners on a field trip this week.  She took this picture:

"Look Mom, I got him."

Like mother, like son.

This afternoon I went with James to Bass Pro Shop to get a pair of shoes with the money the Braddock's gave him for helping Alex with his Eagle Project.  He got camo boots to work in and we had dinner at Islamadora's.  This evening we went to Sheri and Ian's and watched 3 episodes of The Mentalist.  

Denise texted me about the Show Low vs. Blue Ridge game.  Blue Ridge won 24-14.  I guess Colby threw a pass that Blue Ridge caught and scored on.  I bet he felt terrible.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Ardeth Kapp is my idol.  She is amazing.  I had an opportunity to travel with her in England and she is one of the most kind and gracious, loving, warm people I have ever met.  Is it any wonder that I buy her books and then quote from them on my blog?
 "Self-worth cannot be earned or affected by anything that may happen in this life.  Worth is constant and unchanging.  It is a fact that worthiness does not determine worth.  You cannot sin enough to change your worth to the Lord who loves you.  In Jacob 2:21 this principle is explained very clearly: And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other.  I think we innocently allow the theft of our "identity" by focusing more on our esteem than on our worth.  It is not until you and I comprehend the magnitude of our eternal destiny - who we are and Whose we are - and find peace, regardless of life's circumstances, that we reach our potential.  Recognizing our self-worth controls ultimately our ability to love God, to love others, to love life, and to love ourselves."  Ardeth G. Kapp

James and I left for the valley this afternoon.  We got about 10 miles down the road when we realized we forget our meds.  When you are old you can't go anywhere without your meds so we had to turn around and go back.

Joshua was happy to see us and gave us a big hug.  Evan and Max gave us hugs too.  Alex was excited to see Grandpa and immediately started giving him the latest update of information he has researched regarding the building of the pond at the cabin.  Dallin gave up his room for us.  Thanks Dallin. Adam had surgery today to remove a cyst from his spinal cord.  He was sleeping when we arrived. 

James did some errands this evening and I went to see a movie with Kim and Sheri.  We saw "Pitch Perfect."  I think the girls liked it better than I did.  It could have been a cute movie but I was offended by some of the language.  I did like Fat Amy.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

James left early this morning for Demming, New Mexico to see his Dad.  About an hour after he left he called and said he was on his way home.  I guess his Dad called and said he wasn't ready to meet.  George has not been feeling well and wants to get his affairs in order before he passes away.  He has asked James to help him.  James said he was going back next week and was wondering if I would like to go with him and go on over to El Paso to see Jared's family after he's finished with his Dad.  I said that sounded like a great idea.

My visiting teachers, Alicia Hunsaker and Linda Price came by for a visit this morning.  Linda actually lives in the valley but she is up here for a couple of weeks.  I always enjoy their visits.  Colter, Alicia's four year old son came too.  He played with the toys and when he was finished he put them away and announced to his Mom that it was time to go.

We had a combined Young Men, Young Women service activity this evening.  Some of the high priests and elders helped too.  We went to the Hunsaker's and split wood for the widows.  I was so impressed with some of our young women, especially the Applegate girls for how hard they worked.  We split 13 cords of wood.  Here are some pictures:

Shelly Applegate.  This girl never stopped working!

Kilee Hunsaker.

Victoria Alexander. Victoria is the DeWitt's granddaughter 

and she lives in Gilbert.  Her family brought their

wood splitter and helped with our service project.

That's Jordyn Applegate in the hat.

Shelly catching a block of wood thrown to her by

Brother Allen.

Running the splitter.  That's Kaeli Nicoll in the gray sweatshirt.

Steve Allen, Natalie Soderquist, Kaeli Nicoll, and LeeAnn Hunsaker.

MaKenzi Hunsaker doing it the old-fashioned way.

The girls want to do everything the boys do.

Mary Swift.