Monday, March 25, 2013

"The cause of most of man's unhappiness is sacrificing what he wants most for what he wants now"

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

James and the boys left around 4:30 this morning.  James needs to be at work by 8 and the boys need to be home to watch Evan.  This is the last day of their spring break.  I am home alone, again.

I am reading the Book of Mormon in three places.  One place is with James.  We started on January 1 and will finish on March 31.  Today we read Ether 3-6.  The next is with the Young Women.  Sister Soderquist challenged them on January 27 to read the Book of Mormon in 3 months so Mary would finish before she graduates.  Today we are reading Alma 51-52.  The last is the yearly read where you cover about three columns a day.  That one I am doing by myself with a commentary and taking notes.  Today I covered p. 126-27 which is Jacob 5 thru verse 18.  

Here are some of the other things I did today: Wrote on my blog, paid bills, watched "Once Upon a Time" and "Dancing with the Stars."  I also did some cleaning and some laundry.  I made an appointment to visit Rosie Lauritzen tomorrow.  I am Rosie's visiting teacher.  I tried to make an appointment with Linda Diewald but she said she would prefer a phone visit. 

The guy who is cleaning up our yard said he would do it on Thursday so I made a decision about our annual Easter egg hunt.  We would have it Saturday morning in our yard.  I notified everyone.  Stacy and Paul already have plans to take Joshua to the Zoo with Paul's family.  His brother Aaron is visiting from Utah, but Sheri, Kim and Trina all said they would be there.  It's times like these that I really miss Jared & Tricia's family!
 

Sunday, March 24, 2013

James left very early this morning for his 6:00 high council meeting.  I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and put a roast in for lunch. 

I was really surprised when I got to church and found out it was Fast and Testimony meeting.  I remember the bishop annoucing it a couple of weeks ago but I thought he said April 21st.  Because we didn't fast neither James nor I bore our testimony.  It was a good meeting though and all of our company was there.  I was expecially proud of Jordyn, Shelly and Trenda, and Aaron Windsor for bearing their testimonies.  Aaron is a Priest being raised by a single mom.  His testimony of the Savior and His Atonement was very powerful.

I was going to leave and go home after sacrament meeting but James talked me in to staying with him since it's one of those rare weeks when he is here for all the meetings.  Brian drove their car home and Kim drove mine.  All of the boys went with them.

After the block James home taught Lorraine Vaught.  Of course I am obliged to sit in with them in the cultural hall.  We came home and had a nice roast dinner.  Shortly after Kim, Brian and Joe left for home.  Alex, Ben, and Max decided they wanted to stay and go home with grandpa tomorrow.

While James was gone home teaching to the Hunsaker's I caught up on my reading of the Book of Mormon.  I am actually reading in three different places.  You would think it would be confusing but it is not.  The Book of Mormon is my favorite book.

James and I had a FHE with the boys this evening.  I basically used some of the ideas Brother Applegate presented in the youth fireside last week from Alma 43 and Moroni preparing the Nephites for war against the Lamaniets and fortifying them for war.  I told the boys that we are in a war with Satan right now.  And we talked about some of the things that can fortify us against him and how we can Stand in Holy Places.

James gave Ben a haircut and James and I watched episode 2 of Once Upon a Time.
We went to bed early because James and the boys are leaving at 4am.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

I had wanted to go to the temple today but circumstances prevented it.
James and Alex took my car and went fishing at Silver Creek Fish Hatchery.  It closes on April 1st and won't open again until October so this is their last chance for awhile.  James didn't want to take his truck because of the problems it was having yesterday.  Before they left I made them a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, biscuits, and hashbrowns.
Of course Alex caught a fish although hardly anyone else was catching any.

Best catch of the day.

Back at home Brian, Kim, Joe, Ben, Max and I pay Five Crowns.  We started out on the back porch but when it got too cold we brought the game inside.  Joseph was the big winner.

James brought home burros from LaCasita.  I love him, and them!  Joe, Kim and Brian liked them too.

Well I was just waiting for my car to get back so I could go to town and get gas and groceries.  I bought pork chops, asparagus, Ranch Style beans, and rolls.  Brian and Kim shared their potato balls they got at Omaha steaks with us and we had a nice dinner.  I really can't get Ben and Max to eat much.  Max had a hotdog and Ben had some rolls and cereal.

James trying to remove the frayed belt from a piece of the Ranger.

 James in his "shop."

I also bought season one of "Once Upon a Time."  James and I watched the first episode.  I think I am going to like it but I'm not sure he will.

Friday, March 22, 2013

I slept sitting up half the night because of my cough.  James left early this morning.  He is so busy running two jobs, plus he is looking at a truck in north Phoenix today. 

I went to Sears today to get my car lubed.  I left it at 11:30 and went to the mall.  By 2:30 they still had not called me to say it was ready so I called them.  Yes it was ready, they forgot to call.  What did I do at the mall for 3 hours.  I bought a teriyaki chicken with chow mein noodle bowl at Panda Express and I read my two magazines and listened to my scriptures and did some people watching.  I was a little discouraged when I picked up my car.  The guy says it needs a 120,000 mile checkup which he estimated would cost somewhere between 400 and 500 dollars.  I also need Erik to check the brakes.  It's always something.

Dallin and Michael are participating in the Chandler Rotary Track Meet.  It is one of the biggest track meets in the southwest and all the schools in Arizona are invited along with many from other states.  Chandler has the number one track team in the nation for both boys and girls.

James left to take his rental truck back to Tempe around 3:30.  I followed him.  Alex, Ben and Max are all with me as they want to go back to the cabin.  After turning the rental truck in we all drove to north Phoenix where James picked up the truck he bought.  I had gone by Chase bank and got a cashier's check for $16,000.  The truck is a 2010 Dodge Ram crew cab 4x4 that only has 71,000 miles.  The boys made jokes about how something must be wrong with it for grandpa to get it at that price.  Well there was something wrong.  Whenever he hit a bump at high speed it would start massive vibrations and he found it hard to hold it on the road.  He said it happened four or five times.  Hopefully it will be something minor to fix.  Out of the frying pan into the fire.

Brian, Kim and Joe were waiting for us at the cabin.  It's good to be home.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

I coughed and snored most of the night.  James told me I snored and I remember the coughing.  I was actually glad to get out of bed this morning.
I finished all of the wallpaper removal in the living room except for above the window where I can't reach.  Paul said he would do that for me. 
There is mold on the outside wall where the roof leaks that we need to take care of.  Now I will be waiting for James to mud-in the walls and sand them so I can paint.
James got his $16,000 check from the insurance company today for his truck.  I deposited it in the bank this afternoon and then went to Target.  I made these cute little Easter "buckets":

Peeps for my peeps.

The buckets were in Target's dollar spot.

This afternoon John Usher from Usher and Sons Lawn Care came by and did an estimate on cleaning up our yard.  He's going to do everything except trim the dead branches off the trees in the front.  James wants to do that.  John seems like such a nice guy and his price was good.  I can hardly wait to get it done!

Dallin had a visitor today.  Her name is Alexis Mitchell.  She is James & Lisa Mitchell's daughter and she and Dallin used to be next door neighbors and play together.  She saw Dallin singing on youtube and called and said she would like to come over.  She is a very cute girl, she looks alot like her mother.

This evening I went to Panda Express for dinner and then went to Sam's Club for gas and a free carwash.  J I took this picture on the freeway:

Sunset in the city.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Well I am going to miss the Young Men fixing dinner for the Young Women this evening.  I was really looking forward to it. They are having biscuits and gravy.
I borrowed some CD's from Kim because I knew the boys would want to listen to music and they wouldn't like mine that well.  We borrowed Good Ole War, Guster, Keane, Cold Play, and Travis.  The boys wanted to stop at Sonic in Payson for lunch.  I stopped for them and got myself a drink. 
We met James at the Whataburger on 90th St. and Shea in Scottsdale.  He bought me a Whataburger with green chili.  I gave him his pills and then headed for Chandler to take the boys home. 
Stacy and Michael had a student research team from ASU come over to ask them some questions.  They each got $40 for their time.  One of the students was Jeffrey Maxwell but he did not have time to visit.  He was all business so I left him alone and went downstairs.
I did some shopping at Walmart and bought their last bottle of Krud Kutter.  It's a good thing that's all I need.  I also went in and visited with Josh who was playing video games with Skittles on his shoulder.

Josh and his lovebird.

When James got home we went to dinner at Si Senor's.  We got the gorditas.  I did not like them.  I don't go here often enough to know what I like at this restaurant.  Afterwards we drove down Arizona Ave. looking at trucks.  When we got home I got on Craig's List and found a couple of trucks that James is going to call on. 

I bought a Rabbit TV USB so James and I watched Body of Proof on the computer.  It was really good but is continued next week.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I took some cold medicine this morning and went back to bed.  After Sheri's run she came in and we watched a Hallmark movie called "Chasing Lepruchens."  We both liked it. 
The boys have been dying to ride the Ranger but it has a low tire.  I tried using the air pump but couldn't figure out how to put it together so I went in to Vernon and got a couple of cans of Fix-a-Flat.  It cost me $20. 
While the boys were out riding it the Ranger broke down.  I went and tried to drive it back but although the engine comes on the tires aren't moving.  It's probably a belt.  At least the boys pushed it off the road.
Kim and Sheri worked on a puzzle most of the afternoon.  Ben got a huge rubber ball at the store yesterday and the boys played with it.
Around 5 pm Sheri and Evan left for Chandler.  I forgot to give Sheri James's breathing machine and now he calls and tells me his pills are in there too and he hasn't taken them since Sunday.  Alex, Ben and Max stayed here and were going to go back with me on Thursday but now it looks like I'm going down tomorrow instead.
Ben didn't want anything for dinner.  I fixed Max a hotdog, and Alex and I had chicken fried steaks that Kim brought. 
Kim and I watched a recap of Dancing with the Stars.