Thursday, November 29, 2012

I left for El Paso this morning at 6:50.  I arrived, after 3 stops, at 1:30.  I stopped at Allison Schobe's to pick up Molly.  Allison is from Arizona.  She lived in Holbrook and was born in Snowflake.  Molly was asleep but was excited to see me when we woke her up.  We went home and had hot dogs for lunch then we watched Toy Story 2.  Molly proceeds to climb on top of me and says: "Let's snuggle."  Love this girl!

Later she decides she wants to read one of her favorite books, Pie for Piglets.  While she is turning the pages she accidentally rips one of the pages and says: "It's ok it's just a library book."

Later after the kids get home from school Molly is doing a cheer for me and Emmy is singing the 50 states song.  It's confusing and Molly ends her cheer with "Utah Washing Away."  (Utah, Washington, Wyoming from the states song.)

James loves to play the piano.  While he plays "Carol of the Bells" Molly and I dance.  We are the dancing Christmas fairies.  Molly runs her fingers through my hair, pats it and says: "Your hair's pretty Grandma, but you're not."  Ouch!  We also watched Brave, and part of Kung Fu Panda 2.

Now Emmy is singing the president's song.  She had a list of the presidents and we discovered that Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and the 24th president.  Emmy says: "I'm going to tell my teacher that there are only 43 presidents instead of 44."

Later, after dinner which was brought by a member of their ward, we had an ice cream party.  Anna wasn't with us because she went to volleyball tryouts.  Here are some pictures.

I love the look on Molly's face.

James loves going shirtless at home.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

James left this morning for the valley.  He is doing a job for Susan Jacobson.

I made a trip to town this morning.  I hate big logging trucks that drive too fast, and stir up the dust and crowd you off the road here in our little town of Vernon.  I also hate prescribed burns. 

This evening the Young Women had a cooking contest at our house.  Each class, the Beehives, Mia Maids, and Laurels were given chicken, green beans, and potatoes.  The Beehives made chicken pot pie, the Mia Maids made chicken and cream cheese with croissants, scalloped potatoes, and parmesean green beans.  The Laurels fried their chicken, roasted their potatoes, and green beans.  Everything was delicious and we had a great time.  It was also MaKenzi Hunsaker's 18th birthday so we celebrated by singing to her and having cake and ice cream.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Lois's surgery went well this morning.  She had a 90% blockage in her main artery and so they did put a stint in.  She should feel much better.  I think she is in pretty good shape for someone in her mid 80's.

James worked on signing up for medicare today.  The deadline is December 7th.  I paid some bills.  In the afternoon we went outside to do a little cleaning.  I swept off the driveway and inside the garage and James washed my car and his truck.  We worked until it got dark, around 5:30.

This evening I watched the finale for "Dancing with the Stars".  I wanted Melissa Rycroft and Tony Delavano to win.  Tony is the pro and he has been on the show for 14 seasons and has never won.  They did win and Tony was so excited!

We also watched a Christmas movie.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Gospel study and reading from 3 Nephi with James.  James went to the post office to pick up my thyroid pills.  I cleaned in the bathroom, and waxed the floors in the living room and family room. 

James fixed venison steak and gravy for lunch.  It was delicious. 
I got a phone call from Jared this afternoon.  They got a call from Tricia's birth mother Christine today.  Her 20 year old son Aaron was in a terrible car accident last night.  He was thrown through the wind shield of the car he was driving and is in a medically induced coma.  Tricia is flying out to be with Christine and Mark her husband, and Jared was wondering if I could come and help him with the kids.  I told him I have a Young Women's activity here on Wednesday night and on Saturday I am suppose to go to the temple with the youth.  Jared arranged to take off work Tuesday and Wednesday.  I called Natalie Soderquist, the Young Women's president, and told her my situation.  She was very supportive and said they could get someone to take my place on Saturday.  I told Jared I would drove out on Thursday morning.  James will be in Chandler working.

Laura called today.  Lois, James's Mom is in the hospital.  They are doing an angiogram on her in the morning to see if she needs a stint.  James told her last week when he was at her house that she needed to go in because she was having shortness of breath.  Laura, Dave, Cathi, Terry, and Dawn have been staying with Lois around the clock.  I am sorry that we aren't there to help.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

James had an appointment at the stake president's office this morning at 8 am. I went with him and we met with President Van Winkle.  He called James to be on the stake high council.  I told him Rita Solomon was my cousin and he said he knew her very well and that he was in her ward.  We made it back in time for our church.  Kim, Brian, Joe, Alex, Cody, Chelsea, Carter and Cash were all at sacrament meeting.  There wasn't enough aaronic priesthood so James helped pass the sacrament. 

Alex's fish pictures made the rounds in priesthood.  When Collin DeWitt saw them he asked James to email them to him.  He teaches a fly fishing class and he wants to use them in his class. 

We divided into classes in Young Women's.  The lesson was on "The Ability to Succeed" and was about thinking positively.

The Horak's and Pace's left shortly after we got home from church.  The Pace family left a nice thank you card and Carter drew us a picture.  We enjoyed their visit.

This evening for FHE James and I watched two episodes of "The District" on BYUTV.  The District is a reality show about 8 missionaries serving in San Diego, California.  I love it and wish all my grandsons would watch it.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

James and Alex went coyote hunting this morning.  Afterwards James came home and made venison steak and gravy with biscuits.  Brian got some venison from Dave.  Thanks Dave for contributing to our delicious breakfast.

 James and his helpers, Chelsea and Brian.

I made a trip to town this morning to get some gum for my handout for Young Women's tomorrow.  I ended up going to Safeway, Circle K and Walmart.  I needed wax for the floor and they didn't have what I needed at Safeway so I went to Walmart.  I did buy some steaks for our BBQ tonight at Safeway because they have better steaks than Walmart.  I found the gum I needed at Circle K.  

I talked to Vickie on the phone today.  She told me all about Show Low's loss to Seton Catholic (a Chandler School) last week.  They got beat 42-14.  She said the coach changed all the plays at the last minute and Harold was furious.  She said she almost got into a fight with one of the fans for Show Low who was bad-mouthing Colby.  It was a sad way to end such a great season for Show Low.  Seton ended up beating Blue Ridge in the championship game.

In other football news today Hamilton High won the state championship game and so did Queen Creek.

We grilled steaks this evening with Kim, Brian, Chelsea, and Cody.  Before dinner James took the Pace kids, Carter 8, and Cash 6, up to the swing and the pit.  Alex went too.  The boys were so excited to get to go on the Ranger. 

Friday, November 23, 2012

James and Alex got up very early this morning to go fishing at Silver Creek.  James says it was 29 degrees when they got there.  Alex had a very successful day fishing.  James said he caught 13 fish, more than everyone else there put together.  Here is the biggest one.

The biggest rainbow trout ever!

The kid is a fishing genius

Notice the unsuccessful fishermen in the background.

I made that lucky hat.

Smiling fish.

Cody, Chelsea, Carter, and Cash Pace came up today.  They are best friends with Brian and Kim.

Brian made us all delicious burgers for dinner.  Burgers with cheese and poblano chilies.  

James, Joe, and Alex went out looking for coyotes this evening.  They were not very successful.

The boys are in the truck waiting for Grandpa who forgot his keys.

Brian and Cody watched the ASU, UofA game, which ASU ended up winning.  

Kim and I played a game of 5 Crowns with Chelsea and then while she spent time with her boys we went in and watched a Christmas movie.  I also worked on my lesson for Sunday.