Monday, May 20, 2013

Gorgeous sunrise.

I chased 20 cows out of our "yard" today.  

I missed Evan's kindergarten graduation today.  Here he is with his teacher.

Go Evan!

Alex cut his own hair today.  Looks like he did a good job.

A tornado has taken at least 24 lives today in Moore, Oklahoma, 10 of them children.  The tornado was categorized as an EF 5, the most powerful, and was 2 miles wide with winds at 200 mph.  It left a path of destruction approximately 20 miles long.  19,000 people have been displaced.

Tonight I watched the Dancing with the Stars finale.  Derek Hough and Kellie Pickler's supersized freestyle was one of the best dances I have ever seen.  It was a contemporary work of art.  Up until now I wasn't sure who I wanted to win, but this dance sealed the deal.  Definitely Kellie.

These two built a "fort" and then fell asleep in it.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

"If you are struggling financially, pay your tithing and the Lord becomes your partner."

-D&C 119:3-4

-Malachi 3:8-9, 10-12

James left early for Clay Springs to give his talk on the Book of Mormon.  I got up early to finish preparing my lesson on the importance of scripture study.

Garrett Perkins, a recently returned missionary and Brother Redmond the Show Low seminary teacher and a high councilman were the speakers in our sacrament meeting.  They both gave excellent talks.  Brother Redmond is one of my favorite speakers.  Our Sunday School lesson was one paying tithes and offerings.  

We had two visitors in Young Women, Sierra and Sonja.  As part of the lesson we started Choice & Accountability value experience #1.  I challenged the girls to go home and finish the experience and write about it in their journal.

For dinner we had roast with all the fixings and then I made a cherry cobbler for dessert.  

I am sorry I missed Dallin sing "Come Thou Fount" at seminary graduation tonight.  Stacy said he did an amazing job.  

James and I watched a true story about a school teacher who taught homeless kids in Salt Lake City.  It was so inspirational!  Thank goodness for Hallmark movies.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The first thing I did this morning was chase cows.  They have a short memory.
I read Elder Ballard's conference address, "This Is My Work and Glory."
James and I left for the temple around 9 am.  We made it in time for the 10 o'clock session.  We found out that every 1st and 3rd Saturday the 10'oclock session is in Navajo.  James used earphones and I just read the closed captioning.  The session was packed and only about 1/3 of the people or less were Navajo.
After our session I convinced James we had to stop at El Cupido's for lunch.  It's inside a gas station which he thought was a little weird.  While we were there we saw Rusty and Steve Allen.  They were looking at a motorcycle to buy Rusty but decided his mom would be quite upset so they are going to look at trucks instead.  I had the Big Jake burro and James had a chicken pizza.
Before we left this morning I put a roast in the crockpot.  When we got home I added some carrots, potatoes, and onions.  We had a very delicious dinner.
We got this picture from Jared today.

"James caught this carp today in a muddy canal with a net then he and his friend made a afire and cooked it and ate it for dinner.  James said it was hillbilly fishing."

I typed James's talk he is giving tomorrow on the Book of Mormon.  I also finished preparing for my lesson on scripture study.  James worked on sales taxes which are due on Monday.

I chased cows three times today.
Apparently Sheri took Michael shopping at Target and wore him out.

 

Friday, May 17, 2013

This morning's sunrise.

Hummingbird's at our feeder.

Well I just thought the cows were getting the message.  I started chasing them away at 6 am.

It was nice to have scripture and prayers with James this morning.  I also read Elder Craig Cardon's conference talk: "The Savior Wants to Forgive."  

Sad news today for President Monson and his family.  His wife, Frances Monson, passed away this morning.  She was 85 years old.

James and I went to Show Low today.  He had a meeting with Aaron and Andrew Horne at Horne Automotive.  While he was meeting I went over to KMart to look around.  I bought a few items and waited in line at least ten minutes.  Of course James had to go to C-A-L to buy more primers.  We looked at the baby chicks while we were there.  

James wants some of these. 

We had lunch at LaCasita and then I went to Walmart while James went to Home Depot and Lowes looking for light bulbs.  

On the way back to Vernon I took a picture of this awesome tree.  Thanks James for stopping!

We read from "The Grecian Princess" and took a nap when we got home.  I got a call from Stacy.  Dallin is singing at seminary graduation this Sunday.  He is singing "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

Sunset

Thursday, May 16, 2013

I only chased cows twice today.  I think they might be getting the message. 
I had a visit today from my visiting teacher Alicia Hunsaker and her four year old son Colter.  I always get the toys out for Colter.  He loves the cars and trucks the most but today he was excited to find Mickey Mouse.

Alicia and Colter.

One of the things I did today was clean off the patio table we brought from Chandler.  Now we have a nice place to sit while I read to James, when he is here.

James poured concrete at Bob and Betty Bogle's today.  He is pouring them a new courtyard.  The original courtyard was made out of large smooth rocks but was very difficult to walk on.  Jamie Bogle worked with James on the project.  He is back in Chandler.  He is a retired Colonel from the army.

James called.  He's coming home!  He brought me a bean burro and green burro from Burger House.

He was so tired, his knees and back hurt, all he wanted to do was relax and watch some T when he got here.  I had him watch my two Amish movies, "The Shunning", and "The Confession" and then we watched the season finale of Elementary where Moriarty is revealed.  A real twist to this ending.

It was also the season finale of American Idol although we didn't watch it.  Candace Glover won and Krees Harrison was the runner-up.

In other random news:  

The Soderquist's are very disappointed.  The girl who was giving up her baby to them for adoption has changed her mind.  Now she wants to keep the baby.

Lloyd Lambson is in New York where he is getting remarried.

That's all for today.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Today I read from D&C 13.  It is about the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood which occurred on May 15, 1829.  Good timing.
I also read 2 Nephi 5-9, 2 Nephi 16-18, and Alma 18-21.
I am on cow watch at all times.  I moved cattle three times today.  Some of them just don't get the hint.
I made a trip to town today to get the ingredients I need to make an apple cobbler for tonight's Young Men, Young Women activity.  My first stop was to get gas then I had lunch at Taco Bell.  While in the car I called Alicia Hunsaker and asked if she would have LeeAnn call Kelly Reynolds and tell her about tonight's activity.  Kelly is new and she wasn't here on Sunday to here the announcement.
Obama is dealing with two scandals right now.  The one in Bengahzi and the IRS targeting tea party members.  I wonder if his presidency will survive these scandals.
Well, things are heating up in tornado alley.  There was a tornado today in Granbury, Texas.  It must not have been a very big one because I didn't hear too much about it.  I am sure glad that Jared & Tricia moved out of that part of Texas.  According to James Hayden they were right in the middle of tornado alley.
Mutual activities at the park were suppose to start at 6pm.  But when I got there nothing much was happening and no one was there except Mary and Glenzo. The Young Men are in charge and the original plan was that they would cook hotdogs for us to eat while the dutch oven desserts were cooking.  The young men were suppose to bring two desserts and the young women two.  Brother Hunsaker has said the fires needed to be started by 5.  It was obvious that didn't happen.
Finally Brother Diewald, Brother Dewitt, and Brother Hunsaker showed up and started the fire.  Brother Dewitt was the only one from the young men's who brought a dessert.  The young women had two.  My apple cobbler and a peach cobbler made by Tina Allen.  There was no water so I shared what I had in the back of my car.  No paper goods so when Kaeli went to the church to go to the bathroom I asked her to bring back plates and forks.  In spite of how ill-prepared the Young Men were we had an enjoyable evening.  My favorite dessert was the peach cobbler.  Those who attended.  We had some of the 11 year old scouts and their leaders too: Collin Dewitt, Jim Diewald, Sean Hunsaker, Jimmy Applegate, Wes Smith, Brother Mayfield, Ann Miller, Tina Allen, Kaeli Nicoll and myself.  Young Women: Trenda Wilhelm, Jordyn and Shelly Applegate, Kilee and LeeAnn Hunsaker, Maddie Carroll, Hope and Heaven Lootans, Kelly Reynolds, and Mary Swift. I don't know the names of all the Young Men so I am not going to list them. Mary went home and got some hotdogs to cook because some people were starving.  Expectant mother Kaeli Nicoll had four. 
Kim had a fieldtrip today and posted this picture on Facebook.  I am re-posting it here.

Sunset at the park.

Darn light pole.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

"I am encircled about eternally in the arms of His love."

2 Nephi 1:15

I went visiting teaching this morning to Linda Diewald.  Linda is about my age and lived in the valley before she and her husband retired and moved to the valley.  Her husband's mother just past away so they were gone a couple of weeks.  We had a nice visit.  I gave the message from Elder Richard G. Scott's talk entitled "Peace at Home."  Here are a few quotes from Elder Scott's talk:

"One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a 

Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught,

covenants are kept,

and love abounds."

"Invite the Holy Ghost's influence and act obediently on promptings."

"Have daily personal and family prayer, 

daily personal and family scripture study,

and weekly family home evening."

"Make decisions based on 

what the Lord would have you do."

"Be wise in how you embrace technology."

"Be a worthy example."

"Recognize the good in others."

"Be a true friend."

When I asked Linda if they had any plans for the summer she said they always take their travel trailer up to Delores, Colorado and camp on the river for some fishing and relaxation.  Sounds like a good idea.

She also wanted to know how she could get a copy of her patriarchal blessing.  I told her to look on lds.org.

I chased cows today several times.  It's my new hobby.   The sky was overcast today and the high was around 70.  It's 101 in the valley.  Sure glad I'm here.  I wish James could be here too.

I watched two Amish movies today, "The Shunning" and "The Confession."  I am saving them so James can watch them too.  I also watched the results show for "Dancing with the Stars."  Ingo went home.  The four finalists will be: Kellie Pickler, Zendaya Coleman, Aly Raisman, and Jacoby Jones.  Not sure who I wat to win.  Also the first episode of the tryouts for So You Think You Can Dance was on tonight.

James is preparing for his talk on the Book of Mormon by reading President Benson's 1988 Conference address, "Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon."

I talked to my friend Karen Schneider today.  She is going to London this weekend and is excited about eating at Harrod's like she and I did when we were there.  I remember the food was good but very pricey.  In other news she said our friend Charlotte Mattice had a stroke and was in the hospital.  The good news is that her girls seem to have stepped up and are taking care of her.  Karen and I are going to take Charlotte out to eat when she gets out of the hospital and Karen gets back from her world travels.

Tonight's sunset:

 Ominous sky.  I thought for sure it would rain.