Monday, April 8, 2013

James left for the valley at 4am.  I slept in until 6.  After my Book of Mormon study I watched some highlights from last nights American Country Music Awards.  Really, the highlights for me were seeing George Strait and hearing him sing, hearing Kelly Clarkson sing "Don't Rush" and watching Hunter Hayes perform.  I guess I'm not much of a country music person.
For breakfast I had an Eggo waffle with strawberries and whippped cream.  Not a bad way to start the day. 
It was windy and cold today with the high around 58.  We didn't get much wind in March but we are making up for it in April. 
My favorite childhood celebrity, Annette Funicello passed away today.  I used to watch her on the Mickey Mouse Club and in several teenage beach movies.  She had MS and struggled with it for years. 

Annette Funicello.

In other world news, Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain also passed away.  She was 85.

Some pictures I stole from Facebook:

Evan in disguise.  Does he have two pair of glasses on?

Jared and Tricia.

The Wanlass Family

President Uchtdorf.

Kim and Brian say he uses a tanning booth.  

I don't think so.

Absolutely!

James's dream shot.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Before conference started I put the ingredients in the crockpot for Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu, a recipe I got from the latest addition of LDS Living magazine.  When the first session of conference is over this morning we will have a nice lunch waiting for us.
Here are some notes from today's sessions of General Conference:

President Uchtdorf
Faith, Hope, and Charity.  Seek Him through study and prayer.  Go towards God's light.
Neil L. Andersen
Go ye unto all nations and preach my gospel.  We now have members in 189 of the 224 countries in the world.  Pray for doors to be open for the spreading of the gospel.  Hold up the light of Christ to the world.
Rosemary M. Wixom - General Primary President
Children's self-worth is established early  Children come to earth ready to listen.  To speak to a child's heart we must know his needs.  Disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other.
L. Whitney Clayton
A good marriage is built upon faith and repentance.  Humility is the essence of repentance.  Treat each other as equal partners.  Be loyal to each other.  Live together in love.  Marriage is a gift from God to us.  The quality of our marriage is a gift from us to God.
L. Tom Perry
Eternal happiness comes from obedience to God's law.
Pres. Thomas S. Monson
We can't receive a fulness of truth unless we keep the commandments of God.  Obedience brings blessings.
Jeffrey R. Holland
Acknowledge the faith you have and act upon it.  Be not afraid, only believe.
Dallin H. Oaks
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." 
Christoffel Golden, Jr.
Our quest for eternal life is a quest to know God.  He that doeth the will of the Father shall enter the kingdom of God.
Enrique R. Falabella
"In order to contend you need two people.  I will never be one of them." - Sister Falabella
Eric W. Kpoische
The feeling of being accepted by someone we love is a basic human need.  Seeking acceptance from the wrong sources can lead us on a path of destruction.  Honest hearts, contrite spirits, honoring our covenants through sacrifice.  Willing to listen to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.
Bruce D. Porter
Savior: "In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 
A bright voice in a dark storm has become a symbol to me of what faith is all about. (First Vision, First Easter).
D. Todd Christofferson
Bring others to Christ through faith and repentance.  Victor Hugo "Les Miserables" -"Use this silver to become an honest man." Jean Val Jean's sould became redeemed from God.
Pres. Thomas S. Monson
"May we be tolerant, kind and loving.  Be aware of the needs of others.  Extend a helping hand and a loving heart."

It was a wonderful conference.  We enjoyed our lunch.  Joe enjoyed it too.  He likes my cooking! 
We were sad to see Kim, Brian, Joe, and Chloe leave.

A rousing game of Five Crowns.

Joe playing the piano.  He is self-taught.

Joe is multi-talented!!

Goodbye!

We will miss you.

And they rode off into the sunset.

James went for a walk this evening and saw a herd of antelope.  It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Before conference this morning James went up on the front balcony with his binoculars to look for elk.  He found 17 on the hill across the way.  It was a great way to start his day!
Rowan and Evan had their first soccer game today.  I wish I could have been there.  I hear they were awesome and Trina was doing some coaching from the sidelines. 

Rowan the veteran and Evan the rookie.

Evan ready for action.

Here are some of my notes from today's sessions of General Conference.

Two new temples were announced: Cedar City, Utah, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The newest operating temple, number 141 is the Tegucigalpa, Honduras temple.  Darrel would love to go to the temple there.  Who knows, maybe after he graduates.

Boyd K. Packer 

Joseph Smith prophesied: "We will not always be safe from the influence of the adversary in our own homes."  The Priesthood protects the home.

Dean M. Davies

Prayer is a basic foundation to our character.  Worthily partake of the sacrament each week.

Elaine S. Dalton ( She was released today as the General YW Pres.  I will miss her!)

"Where ere thou art, act well thy part."  Sister Dalton's mother kept her covenants and called dow the powers of heaven to direct their home.

Craig A. Cardon (Pres. Ted Dana's brother-in-law)

"We overcome the world thru the enabling power of the Atonement.  Faith unto Repentance!

Forgive 70x7.

M. Russell Ballard

"The priesthood is a sacred and essential gift of God.  The powers of heaven are tapped on the basis of personal righteousness."

Pres. Henry B. Eyring

Quoted the Savior: "I will encircle thee in the arms of my love."  As we are faith to Him our love for Him will increase.

Richard G. Scott

Create a refuge and center your home on the Savior.  Satan is no match for the Savior.

Quentin L. Cook

Peace: An abiding deep happiness and spiritual contentment.  Peace comes as we acknowledge God's power and authority.  The Savior is the source of true peace.

Stanley Ellis

What happens inside the home is critical.  How we live is more important than where we live.

John B. Dickson

Christ's direction to His apostles stands today: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations."  Brother Dickson lives in west Africa and he says people are coming into the Church by the hundreds.

David A. Bednar

The natural man is overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (Mosiah 3:19)

Obedience to the law of chastity will increase our happiness.

Russell M. Nelson

"Catch the Wave" in the sacred work of rescuing God's children.  We have a growing army of missionaries.  Today it is over 65,000.  Seek to know the truth through earnest prayer.  "Catch the wave" of righteousness moving across the earth!

The guys, James, Brian and Joe left for the priesthood session a little after 4.  They have to go into Show Low because the satellite in Vernon is down.  Kim and I have the house to ourselves.  We watched a couple of episodes of season one "Once Upon a Time."  

When the guys got home we had dinner. Ribeye steaks for James and I and chicken fried steaks for Kim, Joe, and Brian.  Wait, I'm not sure what Joe ate. 

Friday, April 5, 2013

I awoke to a text from Trenda Wilhelm at 5:50 am.  She was going to bring her registration form by last night after her mom got home but she says her mom didn't get home until 2 a.m.  I guess I'm just curious but I wonder where Sister Wilhelm was until 2 a.m.
I'm so happy that Trenda woke me up.  If she hadn't I may have missed the 7 elk grazing just outside my bedroom window. 
I just thought I would give an update on James and his "new" truck.  He took it to Erik and Erik did something to it to keep it from shaking every time he hits a bump at high speed.  James also traded in the sports tires that were on it which made a huge difference.  Now he's pretty happy with it except he still sounds like a drag-racing teenager when he starts his engine.  He needs a silencer on his muffler.

I met Sandra Wilehlm and Natalie Soderquist at the church today at 2:15.  Sandra gave me Trenda's Youth Conference registration form and Natalie gave me a blank one for Mary since we never could track down her other one. Sandra also gave me $25 cash for the rest of the registration fee for Trenda.  The stake paid the other $20 per youth.  Next I went into Show Low and met Mary at the Dominoes Pizza.  We filled out her form and she gave me $25 in cash.  I walked down to Baldwin & Jones Accounting and gave both envelopes with the girls names on them to the only person I saw in the office.  I didn't know her but when I told her the envelopes were for Fawne Jones she went in to a room and came back without them.  I called Fawne later on and she said she would be sure and pick them up.  Glad that's done and over with.
I continued with my errands.  I picked up prescriptions at Walgreens and did some grocery shopping at Walmart.  I got stuff to make Pioneer Woman's chicken and noodles and I bought steaks for dinner tomorrow and the ingredients to make crockpot chicken cordon bleu for Sunday.  I went home, put things away, made my chicken and noddles which were quite tasty and sat down to relax. I used a rotisserie chicken I bought at Walmart instead of boiling a chicken. It was the quick and easy choice and was very delicious.  I spent the rest of the evening waiting for Kim, Brian, Joe, and James to arrive.  They all got here at the same time, around 10:30.  Kim, Brian, and Joe came up to watch conference with us.  Now it's time for bed!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

James had a major mishap today.  He lost a load of wire mesh on the freeway.  He ran out into traffic and retrieved all of it but couldn't help but compare when the same thing happened twenty years ago and people were stopping to help him.  He said the only response he got this time were people honking their horns and one guy yelling out his window, "get out of the way."  I guess we can be grateful that's all he yelled.

I read an article in the Ensign today and being self-reliant and how when we are self-reliant we are better able to serve others.  James and I want to become more self-reliant so we can spend more of our time serving in the Church. 

I guess Ben has encountered a bully at school.  He has been acting funny and not wanting to go to school.  Mom to the rescue.  She spoke to the principal who just so happens to be her former PE teacher, Susan Avery.  Ms. Avery said they were aware the boy Ben is referring to is a bully.  She is going to tell him they caught him on school monitors bullying other kids so that way he won't find out Ben said anything.  Ben is especially worried about one of the other boys that this guy bullies.  I can't stand bullies!!

Well after only 2-3 weeks, Wynonna Judd is off Dancing with the Stars.  She wasn't very good but I feel sorry for her partner Tony.  Thank goodness he had a win last year with Melissa Rycroft.  Who knows when it will happen again for him.

I made arrangements today to pick up Mary and Trenda's registration for youth conference tomorrow.  They were suppose to be in by March 30th but I guess better late than never.  I will pick them up tomorrow and take them to the office of Baldwin & Jones Accounting in downtown Show Low where Fawne Jones, our stake young women's president works.  I gave Shelly and Jordyn's registration to her last Wednesday.  Mary gave her registration form to Brother Applegate but it seems to have disappeared.

In world news, Norther Korea is threatening to attack the United States.  Do we take them seriously?  I don't know.

Wednesday, April 3, 2012

James made me an appointment at Brake Masters today.  The guy said he didn't have any openings but would work me in and be done by noon if I brought my car in at 7:30.  I wanted to leave home before noon so I declined and we rescheduled for next Friday morning, the 12th.
Well I loaded up 12 boxes from downstairs and went to Sam's Club to get gas.  My card was declined.  We need to renew our membership.  I guess I'll put that on my To Do List for next week. I got my gas at Quick Trip instead.  The price was the same as Sam's Club, $3.79 for high octane.  Now for my big decision, which way to go home.  My stomach tells me the Globe way so I can stop at Burger House for one of their delicious green chili burros.  My stomach wins although I really don't like the drive nearly as well as the Payson way.
I passed a "flock of snowbirds" heading north for the summer.  What I really mean is I passed so many Minnesota and a few Michigan motorhomes headed home.  Once spring training is over, that's it, they are outta here.  Monday was the opening day of the regular baseball season.  The D-Backs were sold out.
I got home at 1:30 in the afternoon.  I unpacked and took a short nap.  I made handouts for the young women to remind them of General Conference.  On a can of grape Fanta I put a label that said: Be a Fan of General Conference.  Darn!  I thought I took a picture but I can't find it.
After my nap I got up and took a shower and got ready for tonight's Young Women meeting.  I had to be at the church at 5.  We are leaving at 5:15 for the stake center in Show Low to attend a dinner and then a rebroadcast of Saturday nights General Young Women Broadcast.
Kaeli Nicoll and I both drove.  Natalie Soderquist, our president, did not attend.  Kilee and Jordyn rode with Kaeli and Shelly and LeeAnn rode with me.  Trenda was not with us.  She is being inducted into the National Honor Society this evening.  Way to go Trenda!  Mary stayed in town after school and met us at the stake center.  She now has her own car.  A pretty little white Pontiac TransAm just like Darrel used to have.
The broadcast was wonderful.  We heard from all of the General Young Women's Presidency: Ann Dibbs, the second counselor, Mary N. Cook, the second counselor, and Elain S. Dalton the General Young Women's President.  We also heard from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  He told about escaping from East Germany into West Germany with his Mom.
After the broadcast Kilee and LeeAnn rode home with me.  We stopped at Maverick for a snack.  As we were headed for Vernon I remembered that I had forgotten to give the girls in Kaeli's car their Fantas.  I called Kaeli and she was a ways ahead but said they would wait for us at the church.  The speed limit most of the way between Show Low and Vernon is 65.  It was my belief that you could go ten over and not be stopped so although I normally go 70 i bumped it up to 75.  Big mistake.  When a car stopped on the side of the road turned and began following me I knew I was in trouble.  Sure enough I got stopped.  How embarrassing!  What an example for Kilee and LeeAnn.  After checking my record, he was gone a long time, the officer came back and just gave me a warning.  How lucky can you get.  The moral of the story: don't go 10 over the speed limit and if you do you better have a good driving record on file.
We met up with Kaeli, Shelly and Jordyn.  We all had a good laugh and I gave everyone their Fantas and told them to watch General Conference.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

I read from my Book of Mormon and then went out to water plants and grass.  I am afraid I got to much Weed & Feed on the lawn and it is going to have the opposite effect.  Instead of greening up the grass I wonder if it will kill it.  I hope not.
Today I had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Sam Walters in Scottsdale.  He prescribes my thyroid pills and my hormone creams.  I go to him once a year for a checkup.  I don't look forward to it.  He is not on my insurance and it is very costly.  He is always very complementary and tells me I look beautiful but I am quite sure he does that to all of his women patients.  He asks some pretty personal questions.  I feel like saying that is privileged information but then I realize he is only trying to help me.  Since I began going to him in 2003 my overall health has improved quite dramatically!  Just ask James.
On the way home I went by Power Toyota to see Erik.  He was suppose to fix my brakes but when I got there he said he could not longer do side jobs as of this morning.  He help me get a discount on some brake pads and then told me to make an appointment with Brake Masters. 
When I got home James was there.  He is worried about Zaki who is in the hospital with two bulging disks.  They are going to do surgery one him very soon. 
We called Darrel and ask if we could come and see him and the kids.  Trina is at work.  Of course the kids had to show us their baby chicks.  There are six of them, two for each kid, and they all have names but I can't for the life of me remember them.

Right now the chicks are in a box in the garage under a warming lamp.  Trina's Dad is going to build them a coop.
Rowan still has his tortoise and he also got some sea monkeys for Easter that he had to show us.  Ruby and Rowan were in a playful mood while Addy was busy doing her homework.

Something about guessing how many pennies can fit in a container.

Rowan had to show me his frog puppet head.

Addy finished her homework and cried when we said we were leaving.  We stayed a little longer so she could play with grandpa too.

A funny story about Evan today.  I was sitting in the dining room at home eating some cinnamon stix Jolly Ranchers.  Max tried them and said they were too hot.  Evan tried one and loved it.  He came back for 2 or 3 more!  A kid that has my taste in candy.

I went to Walmart today and the guard was a large blonde tough looking guy with a ponytail and a shirt that said Asset Protection.  At least I thought he was tough looking until I saw him from the front and he had makeup on.  Really??

On the way home from Darrel's we stopped at Taco Bell for dinner.  When we got home we got to see Jared Ammon for a few minutes.  He came over to do his laundry.