Thursday, January 31, 2013

I left Vernon at 9am.  These are the snacks I took with me to help me survive the trip:

Road snacks.

My first stop was at Deseret Book.  I went back a second time to look at the jewelry they have for young women.  I still like the bracelet I picked out before.  I called our Young Women's president to see if she wanted me to buy the bracelets and she said to hold off.  That's fine.  Our first birthday isn't until March. (The bracelets are for the girls birthdays.)

Other stops I made before arriving at 108th Way: Staples, the bank, Sam's Club, and Joshua's school to pick him up.  He says he has a stomach ache but we soon discovered that he was faking it in order to get out of school.  He told me if he must anymore school they might kick him out.  I hope that isn't his goal.

I started raking dead leaves in the yard.  Our yard looks like a blight hit it.  Everything, and I mean everything is dead.  The only green thing I could find was a weed.  James came home and said he needed someone to go help him at the Chandler airport for an hour or two on the Horne job.  Dallin and Michael refused, Ben said he didn't feel like it, and Alex and Joe were going to a Brian Regan show with Kim and Brian.  I didn't want him to have to go alone so I went with him.  We swept off and sprayed off the new concrete and it took about 2 hours.  I got to spray the hose so I didn't mind so much.  Afterwards we went to El Pollo Loco for some of their delicious chicken.  We ordered it to go because we were definitely not dressed to go in.

While working at the airport we got the news that Rowan's tortoise Leo died.  Rowan is heart broken.  He even went and dug him up after he had been buried to make sure he was still there and hadn't been resurrected.  He is such a tender, sensitive little boy.

Joshua said something funny to me this evening.  Stacy was upset with Dallin because he had locked himself in the basement and she was yelling at him to unlock the door.  Joshua came over to me and said:

"You don't want to be around Stacy when she gets her temperature up."  I think he meant temper.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

I read this quote today by Thomas B. March in the Ensign:  "Are you willing to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season?"  After joining the Church has wrote a letter to some relatives and asked them this question. 

James and I have had some setbacks recently.  Our attorney has convinced us to close the Norquay case.  To settle with no money for us.  It doesn't seem fair or just but what else can we do.  In spite of the fact that they owe us $60,000.  James was quite upset at first but now he says he just feels at peace and can let it go.  I am glad of that because a situation like this can certainly take away your peace of mind. 

There was a last minute change for mutual tonight.  We were suppose to deliver wood but I guess no one needed any so Kaeli and I played games with the girls.  I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  They seemed a little dry so I added some sour cream and the girls loved them.!  Trenda was quite entertaining this evening.  She was giving chinese manicures speaking in her version of chinese. 

 "Would You Rather..." and chocolate chip cookies.

Trenda gives Kaeli a chinese manicure.

 Brother Smith enjoying his manicure.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

School in Show Low started two hours late today because of the snow and the ice on the roads.  I don't remember that ever happening when I was in school.  The worst snow storm I remember was in 1967.  There was 4 foot of snow on the ground in Show Low and Brother Wilhelm said there was 8 foot of snow in Vernon.  I remember coming home for Christmas when James and I were in college.  It was a few months before we were married and James had a little white Chevy Corvair and he was coming up to Show Low with me for Christmas.  We had another passenger whose family lived in Show Low, Irene Louie who was our age.  Her Dad owned the Asia Gardens chinese restaurant in Show Low and she needed a ride home for the holidays.  That was a scary drive but we made it safely.  I remember the snow being piled 12 foot high in the middle of town.

James is out of his blood pressure medicine Nefedical.  I got his 90 day supply in the mail today but won't get it down to him until Thursday. 

I mad a long trip in to town today.  I spent well over an hour in the Verizon store.  All I went in for was to get a data card for my Xoom.  First I didn't know the password on the account and we had to call James and setup another password because he didn't know it either. There were some other problems on the account and we never did get them resolved.  Because of all the trouble Dustin, the store manager waived my $30 start up fee. 

My next stop was LaCasita for lunch by myself.  I had a tamale and a diet coke and some chips.  Yummy.    I picked up prescriptions at Walgreens and then did some grocery shopping at Walmart before heading home.    I got home about two hours later than I expected and I am afraid I wasn't much good for anything the rest of the day.  I sat and watched TV and played with my Xoom.  I watched "The Good Witch's Garden."

My car when I left for town:

NIce and clean.

A coat of mud.

On my way home.

 

Monday, January 28, 2013

James took this picture near Forest Lakes on the Rim today on his way back to the valley.

Don't take pictures while you are driving Honey!

I took these pictures here at home.  We don't have quite as much snow.

It's only just begun.

Soon the trees will be frosted.

I am calling this Crisis week.  Thank goodness for the gospel and an eternal perspective.  

Sheri's washer went kaput.

Stacy and Paul's car is on the blitz.

James is out of his blood pressure meds because of the slowness of Dr. Wilson's office.

Our propane, which heats our house in on less than 10%.

Evan has pink eye.

Dave & Laura's granddaughter Kenna is in the hospital with RSV.

Some how all of this too shall pass.

I spent the day home alone cleaning, studying, trying to get some exercise in on my rebounder, and watching a little TV.  I started watching a series of 5 episodes called "The Good Witch" which I am really enjoying.  It is a show with a moral that you can actually watch with your kids.

 

Sunday, January27, 2013

Brother Redmond of the high council and also the Show Low seminary teacher spoke in our sacrament meeting today.  The topic of his talk was based on Elder Oaks's talk "Focus and Priorities."  It was the assigned topic talk for all high councilmen this month.  He said we need to make wise use of the technology we have and he reminded us that we need quiet time for imspiration and revelation when we unplug from the world in order to hear the voice of the Lord.  He said that with the flood of filth in the world today the Lord is sending shafts of light and he encouraged us to check out the Church's website.  Our priorities determine what we seek in life.  "If you have not chosen the gospel of Jesus Christ it won't matter what you have chosen." - Elder Neal A. Maxwell.  His last statement was that the highest knowledge we gain in this life is in the temple.  I loved his talk.  I can see why he is the seminary teacher!

I visited with Lannie Gillespie and shared the visiting teaching message with her while she was setting up for our Sunday School class.  She said she would be too busy this week for a visit.  She is the assistant superintendent of Navajo county schools and goes back and forth to Holbrook quite a bit.  She told me about teaching youth who have been incarcerated and what a special challenge that it.  She has a huge responsibility with her job but she is a highly capable person and an excellent teacher!  I love learning from her.  When she teaches us how to teach she always uses the scriptures.

Natalie Soderquist gave the lesson in Young Women today on the Savior and did an excellent job.  She gave the girls several challenges: read the Book of Mormon in 3 months, a list of sciptures to read to complete the value experiences 5 and 6 in faith, and she gave us each a small laminated copy of The Living Christ and The Family Proclomation to put in our scriptures.  We studied The Living Christ in class.  She also gave the girls footprint sugar cookies with an attachment that said : "We are adding two feet in our family" which is to announce their adoption in June. I gave each of the girls The First Article of Faith candle and taught the object lesson.

 First Article of Faith, Light of the World candle

James went home teaching to the Hunsaker's today and took Holly her birthday Snickers bars and Holly and Kilee each a candle.  When he returned he spent over an hour washing my car and cleaning the mud out of the garage and driveway.  Normally he would not do this on Sunday, but this week it was the only day he had at home.  I do so appreciate his efforts!

Saturday, January 26, 2013

We woke up to rain, and it looks like it probably rained most of the night and shows no signs of stopping any time soon.  James, Kim and I had planned on going to the temple this morning but Kim texted me during the night with the news that the temple is closed until February 4th.  I guess next time I better check before I schedule a family temple day.

Joshua got up early today to enjoy the rain.  Before going out to splash in the puddles he enjoyed a Capri Sun as part of his breakfast.

 Joshua and his best buddy Skittles.

We had also planned on going to Max's football game but obviously it was cancelled too.  James and I packed up and left for home before noon.  It rained on us most all of the way.  I guess it's not cold enough for snow in the high country.  We had to stop in Payson and put air in my tires.  Thank goodness James was there to do it for me this time.

Unloading and unpacking is never much fun.  I guess I was a little grumpy about it, but James was very patient.  He likes the earphones I got him to use with his phone for his birthday.

 Now he can listen to 60's music to his

hearts content.

 Once everything was unpacked we relaxed and watched a little TV.  Rizzoli & Isles, and a Hallmark special that was really good called "The Lost Valentine" starring Betty White.

I love taking pictures here at our home in Vernon.

This rainbow was complete but I just took pictures

of the two ends

Friday, January 25, 2012

I read this today in the scriptures and it made me wonder which one I am.  "...lto be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal." 2 Nephi 9:39

I got up early this morning and typed the invoice James emailed to Troy Andersen.  Since I was up I decided to get ready and go do my grocery shopping for James's party tonight.  I came home and cut all ten of the chicken breasts in half the long ways and put them in a marinate of dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice, paprika and red chili flakes.  With the chicken taken care of, at least for now, I began making two Eagle Brand lemon pies.  They are James's favorite and the only dessert that he requested.  I used lots of lemons to get a cup of lemon juice.  Once the pies were baked and cooled I set them in the frig and decided I had earned a nap.

After my nap they kids were home from school.  I went outside and took these pictures:

Shoeless Evan on his electric racer.

I'm not sure why this mound of dirt is in the orchard

but it's a fun place for Josh and Max to play.

Around 3:30 I started frying bacon for my chicken, bacon and cheese sandwiches.  I didn't like how this particular brand of bacon was frying up so I made a quick trip to Fry's to get a different brand.  My quick trip put me behind.  Stacy and James ended up helping me assemble and wrap the sandwiches.  The chicken took a little longer to cook than I anticipated.  Dallin and his friend Kevin provided background musci while I cooked.

Dawn and Lois joined us at Darrel & Trina's for dinner, a tribute to James, and music by Dallin, Michael and Dallin's friend Kevin. 

I made 22 sandwiches and came home with 5.  Everyone seemed to love them.  After dinner we talked about James and the good guy that he is and then Michael and Dallin sang a Guster song.  Next Dallin played and sang a song he wrote.  It was a fun evening.  Thanks to Darrel and Trina for letting us invade their homes. 

 Dallin and Kevin practicing

Listening to the guys sing and play.

Is that Sheri playing with her phone during the concert?

Michael sang too.

In other news, Kim gave me my 2013 Grandkids calender.  Of course Anna's picture is up for January.  I look forward to this calender every year!! 

Joshua came home from school and said he was student of the month and get to go to the office to get his picture taken.  There will be some kind of ceremony next Friday.  He said it was easy to be student of the month.  "All you have to do is obey all of the rules."  Out of the mouths of babes.