Monday, June 3, 2013

James leaves early and I get up to take a picture of the sunrise.

Never get tired of these sunrises.

As I am doing my morning gospel study at the dining room table I happen to look outside and see three little chipmunks going in and out of the pots I have on the backporch.  I try to get some pictures but they didn't turn out too well.

That ball with the tail in the air is Mr. Chipmunk

Mrs. Chipmunk on the wall.

I spent most of the afternoon updating personal and business checkbooks and paying bills.  Why are there always so many bills?  Thank goodness I have a husband who works hard so we have money to pay the bills.  While I am working I watch Pioneer Woman, Trisha Yearwood's cooking show, and The Voice.  A couple of times I take a break to chase cows and look at my email.  

Michael and Alex worked for James today.  Joe didn't get up in time.  

I still feel sick but I am feeling a little better.  The high here was 80 and in the valley it was 108 again.  

I love looking outside at all the views but I am sad when I see we have another dead pine tree.  It must be bark beetles.  I wish we knew how to stop them.

Sunset.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Well it's official, I am not going to church today.  I hate to miss, but I feel miserable.  James attends our wards sacrament meeting then goes on over to Show Low to attend the ward there that he works with.
We had prayer together before he left.  I stay home and rest and study.

I studied Elder Tad R. Callister's conference address.  In his talk he gives some suggestions on things that youth leaders should teach the youth.  They are: 1. Teach them how to prepare an agenda.  2. Teach them how to conduct meetings with dignity and warmth.  3. Teach them how to rescue the one.  4. Teach them how to prepare and give an inspired lesson.  5. Teach them how to receive revelation.  Such good ideas!

When James got home we broke our fast and he fixed lunch for us, including chocolate covered strawberries.  He cleaned up and then he washed off my car and watered the plants. 

Later this evening I went with him while he delivered youth conference information to Madalen Carroll, Trenda Wilhelm, Mary Swift, and Jordyn and Shelly Applegate.  What would I do without this guy? 

We came home and I read to him from The Grecian Princess.  It seems like a small price to pay for all that he does for me.  Sunday evenings are always a little bittersweet because we know he will be leaving in the morning for the valley.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Happy 45th Anniversary!  Has it really been that long?  Sometimes it feels like yes and sometimes it feels like it all went by so quickly.  When I think that our family has grown from the two of us to 29 I am amazed.  I am so grateful to James for the good husband, father, and grandpa that he is.  I couldn't ask for a better companion in life.  He means everything to me.

I spent a nice quiet day at home here in Vernon.  James went in to town to do a little shopping and he was amazed at the traffic he encountered.  I guess lots of people are up here to escape the heat.  While in town he bought flowers to plant and then went to Safeway to get steaks and cheesecake.  He came home and grilled some filet mignon steaks and made salad and coleslaw.  I especially loved the coleslaw, although the steak was delicious too.  He gives me strawberry cheesecake to eat while I am talking on the phone to Vickie.  She called to wish us a happy anniversary.  Next week she and Harold will celebrate their 44th anniversary.

Right after lunch we started our fast.  James went outside to plant flowers.  I sat on the front porch and read to him from our book The Grecian Princess.  After the planting we took a nap.  As the cows came later in the day James chased them away.  As we were going to bed they came again and he chased them away again.  I literally had to do nothing today except prepare a mini Book of Mormon lesson on the house of Israel, the Abrahamic covenant and Jacob 5,  to share with the girls tomorrow, if I go to church.  Right now I have a cough, head cold, and the chills.  I may not be going.

Jared text us to wish us a happy anniversary.  So did Michael and Joe.  How sweet!  This evening before going to bed James and I watched "The Nanny Diaries" starring Scarlett Johansen.

The high here today was 82.  In the valley it was 108.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Did my Book of Mormon study this morning and then went to Mesa to the Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Center for my appointment with Dana, Dr Caldron's physicians assistant.  Everything was pretty routine except Dana told me that on my last visit my kidney function was slightly low.  She told me I needed to drink more water so I drank a bottle before they did my bloodwork today.  Up on the water intake, down on the diet soda. 

James took Joe, Michael, and Alex to work with him today.  He said they forgot to bring water and didn't eat breakfast so he took them to get something to eat and to buy them gloves because they forgot those too.I wonder how long this work thing will last.  Probably until they make the amount of money they want.

Tomorrow James and I will have been married 45 years.  It hardly seems possible.  We did a little celebrating today by having lunch at Olive Garden.  We were going to go to the temple tomorrow with Kim and then out to lunch afterwards but I am not feeling too well.  I think I am getting a head cold.  I went back to the house after lunch and took a nap and then packed up to head for home.  We will have to take a raincheck on the temple.  Darn!

James went the Globe way and I went Payson.  He beat me but I did make a couple of stops.  If felt good to be home.  When you are sick there is no place like home.  We watched "Ring of Fire", "North America", and "The Constitution".

Thursday, May 30, 2013

James left this morning at 5:30 after we had prayer together.  Since I was awake I got up and did some catching up on this blog.  James kept calling me about emails that didn't go through to Zaki's bank so he could get his draw.  I tried to help but not sure I did any good.
I started my Book of Mormon study when I got a call from James about meeting him at Sear Auto Center to take my car in.  We arrived at 8 o'clock just as they opened.  I knew we were in for a long day when the guy told James there was no such thing as a Lexus RX 330.  We had to take him outside and show him there was.  It was taking so long for him to check us in and I was getting a little frustrated so I walked over to Target Greatland for a little refreshment.  James came by and picked me up.

Lexie will be in the shop all day long because this is the 125,000 mile service.  James opted not to get the timing belt replaced because Erik will do it for us cheaper.  It was supposed to be replaced at 90,000 so here's hoping it lasts until I get back down for Erik to do it on the 21st.

This Sears guy is crazy.  He quoted us at least four different prices.  Finally we settled under $600 without the timing belt.  I will not go there again if I can help it.

Had lunch at one of my favorite places today, Pei Wei.  Here is a picture of what I had:

Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad is yummy!

It was after closing time this evening when we finally got a call that our car was ready.  They had it over 12 hours!  When James asked the guy why it took so long he said he didn't know it shouldn't have taken nearly as long as it did.  Ya think?

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Well I got a text from James this morning at 5am which woke me up.  I guess he doesn't know that when he's not here I don't go to bed as early as I should.  Since I was up I took a picture of the sunrise.

Well of course my first item of business of the day is to remind the cows that they are not welcome on Lambson acres, at least where I can see them from my window,

The wood floor is giving me fits.  It is so hard to strip wax.  When it first goes on it looks gorgeous until it starts developing streak marks.  I think I am going to leave this project until next week since I have to leave for the valley in time to get to Dallin's graduation party at 5pm.

I left around 12:30 but made a few stops.  The first stop was to take a picture of James's favorite tree.  It almost looks as cool dead as it did alive.  We have several pine trees on our property that are dying and we aren't sure why.  Of course our neighbors the Cranes don't have any which makes the matter even more disturbing.

A nesting place for an eagle.

We have several youth from our Chandler ward who graduated today.  One of them is this guy, Taylor Wanlass.  As his former bishop James cannot say enough good things about this kid.  He will soon be a missionary in the San Antonio, Texas mission.

From kindergarten to high school grad.

Another high school grad is Cody Miner, Dallin's good buddy.  Cody and Taylor both graduated from Hamilton High.

McKell and Cody Miner

The rest of these photos are random pictures taken at Dallin's graduation party:

Cheesy and the Thinker

Adam walked in just after we took this picture.

Ruby and Grandpa

 An uninvited guest

The two graduates and their friend Holly

Dallin and his girlfriend Holly

I wonder if Sarah knows

Dallin and Sarah

Stacy and Dallin

The Gonzales family

Austin Field, Chandler High School Graduation

Thanks to Aunt Kim for helping Stacy frost the sugar cookies that were such a big hit at Dallin's party.

Some of the people who attended the party: Aunt Tara, Nicol and Chad Schaub and their family, Shelly and John Johnson, The Lukes, Darrel and his kids, Kim and Joe, Sheri and her boys, and of course James and I.  We are proud of Dallin for graduating.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

James left at 4 am.  I was up shortly after to study and take a picture of the sunrise.

I love the views from my porch!

The darn cows are back again today.  I guess they knew yesterday was a holiday so they took the day off.

My gospel study went something like this: finished reading Jacob 5 with the young women, read Alma 2 for my personal study, and Alma 51 and 52 with James.  I also read Elder Hales talk, "Stand Strong in Holy Places".  

I am trying to clean my wood floors.  I have looked for ways to get wax off wood floors on Youtube and Google but the best I came up with was vinegar water and steel wool.  It is a long and tedious process.  After stripping the old wax I put some paste wax on but now I need my floor buffer which is in Chandler.  I must remember to bring it back when I go down.

I got a text from Alicia Hunsaker today.  She said a dog kennel that was ousted from Taylor has bought property here in Vernon just down the road from her.  All of the people in the surrounding area are protesting.  I guess some of their practices are questionable. All the renegades come to Vernon.

I visited Rosie Lauritzen today.  I always enjoy my visits with her so much.  She is a fourth grade teacher and is looking forward to her summer.  She told me about a fieldtrip her class went on to Williams and then the Grand Canyon.  They rode the train and said it was so much fun.  There was even a staged train robbery.  I would like to do something like this with my grandkids this summer.  We will see. What do you think Sheri?

Watched The Voice and Body of Proof finale.  I don't always like Body of Proof but the finale was one of the best I've seen.  They actually tied up all the loose ends!

Sunset