Tuesday, June 25, 2013

I was on my early morning trip to Fry's to get drinking water when I got a call from the new Young Women's president.  She said she wanted me to be her first counselor and wanted Kaeli to be her second.  Then she proceeded to ask me questions about several sisters in the ward she was considering for advisors and secretary.  Before hanging up she swore me to secrecy.  I am so excited that a president has finally been called and I am excited about the choice that was made.

The girls and Kaeli (Sis Nicoll) went for one last swim this morning before we left.  Kaeli said a prayer and a blessing on the food as we are going to IHOP on our way home.  My treat.  Here is the only picture I got:

 

Left to right: Kaeli, LeeAnn, Shelly's arm

Kilee and Trenda.

 

Shelly and Kilee rode home with me.  We listened to music.  Kilee was the deejay.  Shelly especially liked the song by Carrie Underwood "Two Black Cadillacs" until I told her what it was about then she didn't want to listen to it anymore.  I think she fell asleep for most of the rest of the ride home. 

 

I bought a big Sugar Daddy at Sweetie's yesterday.  I was going to save it for Julie Wilhelm but I ate it on the way home so I could stay awake.  As a result, I lost a filling.  I am sure I will have to have a crown. 

 

Kilee and I got a drink at the Sonic in Payson but Shelly was still asleep. 

 

I got the girls home before dark and after unpacking and making myself mac&cheese for dinner I sat down to watch the latest episode of "The Next Foodnetwork Star."  Lovely went home tonight. 

 

James is still at the resort in Scottsdale.  Alex, Joe and Michael spent the night.  He took them to IHOP for dinner. 

 









Monday, June 24, 2013

I made an early morning run to Fry's this morning for donuts, milk, and orange juice.  When I got back the girls were anxious to go swimming with Kaeli.  Shelly was excited to try out her snorkeling equipment in the pool.  I took this picture by the pool:

 

 

Feeling the baby bump.

 

Wow I forgot how much primping teenage girls do.  It took almost two hours for them to get ready to go to lunch.  James let us use the Chili's gift cards he got for father's day for lunch.  He had $80 worth and we used every bit of them and then some.  I had to borrow $5 from Shelly for the tip.  We had a great time at lunch.

 

Kilee and her rootbeer.

Trenda and her "root"beer.

Trenda, LeeAnn, Kilee

LeeAnn is saying down with the beer!

 

When we were finished at Chili's we headed for the Mesa Temple Visitors Center.  We practically had the entire place to ourselves.  Here are some of the things we saw and did: Shelly loved the miniature, interactive display of the city of Jerusalem.  We watched a movie about the Savior and some of the miracles he performed.  We watched a presentation about the family that was very touching.  We played with the Mormon Moments display and we sat and enjoyed the Christus.  I think the girls had a good time. 

 

Our next stop was at Sweetie's in Chandler.  Sweetie's is the largest candy store in Arizona. 

 





Shelly at Sweeties.

Shelly is a Sweetie!

 

Shelly can make any place fun and Sweetie's was no different.  She loved the gummy fried eggs and gummy army guys just to name a few.  The other girls joined us and we had a great time shopping here but soon it was time to get on to bigger and better things... the Chandler Mall.

 

 

When we got to the mall we told all the girls to stick together because Trenda was the only one with a phone.  While they went shopping Kaeli and I went to McDonald's, Build-a-Bear and Barnes and Nobles.  We met up with the girls outside of Barnes and Nobles and I took these pictures:

 

LeeAnn, Shelly, Trenda, Kilee, the

happy shoppers.

Sis. Nicoll in the middle with her Build-a-Bear box.

 

 

We stopped at Wetzel Pretzel on our way out of the mall for a snack.  Trenda, Kilee, LeeAnn and I headed back to the resort while Shelly went with Sister Nicoll across the street to Target to register for Sister Nicoll's baby shower.  She is having a girl and they are naming her Natalie Joe.  (She dressed her Build-a-Bear like a cowgirl).

 

When we got back to the resort Kilee realized the pair of shoes she bought only had one shoe in the box,  We took a picture of the shoe, shoebox, and receipt and sent it to Sis. Nicoll.  She and Shelly went to the mall and retrieved the other shoe.  Thanks girls!

 

Kilee, LeeAnn, Trenda and I play a game of Five Crowns.  It was the first time Trenda ever played and she won!

 

No passing cards under the table with your

toes Trenda.

Beginner's luck.

 

It was after 10:30 when Sis Nicoll and Shelly got back.  Since the pool is open until midnight the girls wanted to go swimming.  Thank goodness Kaeli wanted to go too.  I was so tired that I went to bed.



 







Sunday, June 23, 2013

James left this morning around 5:30 am for his high council meeting in Show Low.  Afterwards he spoke in the Linden ward sacrament meeting.  He got home around 1 pm.  I was invited to give the spiritual thought in our ward council meeting this morning at 7 am.  My thought was on the Book of Mormon and my testimony of it.  I love testifying of the Book of Mormon.

There will be the full block today contrary to what was announced last week in Sacrament meeting. There is a special missionary broadcast this afternoon. As a result neither Kaeli or I are prepared to give a lesson today in Young Women's.  I did a review of 1st and 2nd Nephi with the girls which had to suffice.  We had some visitors today.  Maddie brought her friend Jamie, who is a non-member, and there were two girls from the valley, Aubrey and Sara.  They were obviously members because they participated in the lesson. 

James and I had a short nap this afternoon and then we got ready for our trip to the valley.  He is going down for a job that starts at Troon North and I am taking girls who are up to date on their Book of Mormon reading to stay at our timeshare, Sheraton Desert Oasis.  Kaeli Nicoll is also going.  We met the young women at the Church.  After a prayer Trenda and LeeAnn rode with Kaeli and Kilee and Shelly rode with me. Jordyn, Shelly's sister qualified to go with us but she has to stay home because of an online class. James drove alone in his truck.  He took the food with him and went the Globe way because he was picking up equipment in Chandler. 

We arrived at Sheraton Desert Oasis around 7pm and checked into rooms 1115 & 1116. The first thing Shelly wanted to do was scuba dive in the bath tub.  

 

 

We spent the evening playing Monopoly and Five Crowns.  We ate chili dogs and read our Book of Mormon and had prayers before going to bed.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

I went shopping at Target this morning with Sheri, Max and Evan.  This is what Evan likes to do when we are at Target:

Evan playing video games.

 

The boys wanted pizza and breadsticks at the snack bar when we were finished shopping so I bought some for them.  What are grandma's for anyway?

 

Brian, Kim, Joe, and Michael have been in San Diego all week.  Here is a picture of Michael that Kim posted:

 

When Paul posted this on Facebook this was his caption:

Michael is cougar bait.

 

This afternoon James and I went to Addy's dance concert in east Mesa at Skyline High School.

Trina's family was there because Kayla was also in the recital.  Here are some pictures:

 

Two cuties!

Best Friends!

So grown up!

 

After the recital James and I headed home to Vernon.  Of course we made our routine stop at Burger House in Miami.  When we got home we unpacked and watched an episode of the Walton's before going to bed.



























June 21, 2013

James left early to go to work but he was back by 8:30 a.m.  I went to Walmart and Sam's to get gas and wash my car.  I bought a little car vacuum at Walmart and came home and vacuumed out my car and cleaned the leather.  I was getting ready for my lunch date with Karen Schneider and Charlotte Mattice.  I picked up Karen and then Charlotte and we drove to one of our favorite restaurants, Firebirds, for lunch.  Karen had also invited Jackie Hall but Jackie couldn't come because she was helping with a funeral.  I wonder if it was Glenn Huish's. 
For lunch we ordered our favorite meal: coconut shrimp with salsa and coleslaw.  It's actually an appetizer but we make it our main course.  It goes wonderfully with their delicious sour dough bread and a chocolate sundae for dessert.  Karen just got back from Paris and London.  She brought me an oilcloth bag from Harrods.



 When Karen and I went to England we each bought one of these bags so now I have two.  I enjoyed my time with these two friends and look forward to seeing them again soon.
I went back home in Chandler after lunch and took a nap.  After my nap I took a little shopping trip to Target.  When James got home this evening we went to dinner at Mimi's.  Isn't it interesting that many of my posts are about eating. Maybe that's because I enjoy it so much.  I had ravioli for dinner at Mimi's and it was delicious.  James talked to Gail on the phone.  Gail is here in town visiting.  He brought Seth down to Flagstaff to go to EFY. 
It was only 106 here today.





Thursday, June 20, 2013

All I can say is Alex is a beast when it comes to winning Five Crowns.  We are leaving for the valley today but before we leave I have to clean.  We didn't leave until about 5pm and then I stopped in Show Low for gas  and to wash my car.  We also made a pit stop at the Circle K in Star Valley and then we stopped at Sonic in Payson so Alex could get something to eat. 

We saw the smoke from the Doce fire in Prescott.  There are also huge fires in Colorado. 

We arrive in Chandler around 9pm.  Dave and Laura left for Idaho today.  They will be gone about four weeks.  They love spending the 4th of July with Jon's family in Boise.

It was June 18, 2002 that the Rodeo fire started.  It is the fire that joined with the Chediski fire which started June 20, 2002, and burned down 460 homes, including our cabin in Pinedale. 

Everything in our state is so dry right now.  We really need some rain!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Happy Birthday Tricia!

James left early for the valley this morning.  I always miss him when he is gone.  I fixed breakfast for Dallin and his friends before they left for home.  I made sausage, eggs, and heated up some of Sister Schubert's rolls I had in the freezer.  They seemed very appreciative. 

John, Mario, Kevin, and Dallin

These boys sing in a barbership quartet and they

serenaded me before they left.

 

I washed sheets and towels and played Five Crowns with Alex throughout the day.  This afternoon I made brownies, cheddar biscuits, and coleslaw to take to the fish fry tonight for Mutual.

I made a trip to the Stanifird store to get some cheddar cheese. 

 Alex came with me to Mutual and while the girls had their camp awards ceremony he made James's punch in the kitchen.  I missed some of the awards because I went to the park to take the punch and food.  I know that Trenda got the Katniss award. 

The fish was the bass the boys caught at Lake Powell and was very tasty.  I am glad I brought some food because the only other thing they had as a side dish was potato chips. 

 

There will be four girls going on the Book of Mormon retreat this Sunday.  They are: Kilee and LeeAnn Hunsaker, Trenda Wilhelm, and Shelly Applegate.  Jordyn Applegate qualified to go but she has to stay home and do summer school. 

 

Came home and watched Master Chef.