Saturday, June 29,2013

James made steak and gravy for the boys for breakfast and I made some biscuits.  I guess I should say I took some frozen biscuits out of the freezer and put them in the oven.  It was a very tasty breakfast.  Alex says it is his favorite. 

The boys started on a walk for Chocolate Lake but didn't last long.  This time they said it was too hot. 

James and I made a trip to town.  We went to Safeway.  The one big reason we go to Safeway instead of Walmart is because they have a coleslaw salad kit that we love.  We also went to Auto Zone to get a tire plug kit to fix the flat tire on the Ranger.  We went to Show Low Motorsports to look at the Razr4 we want to get.  We still haven't made a final decision.  Also we picked up a couple of pizzas from Pappa John's.  I got the veggie supreme because James and I like it and I got a pepperoni for the boys and some breadsticks.  To say the boys were happy was an understatement.

James fixed the tire on the Ranger so the boys took it to Chocolate Lake.  After their ride they came home and watched the movie, "That Thing You Do", which is kind of a tradition for them here at the cabin.  They also watched "Parental Guidance."

James cleaned some bullets and then he and I watched an episode of the Walton's.  We are also doing some serious thiking as to whether we should buy that Razr.

Tonight we went to a potluck dinner our ward was having at the Vernon Park.  We took a big batch of coleslaw.  The boys weren't too interested in staying so James took them home early and then came back to join me for the entertainment, which was open mike karoke.  Here are some pictures I took:



 

Trenda Wilhelm at the mike.

 



 

Talon Wilhelm, Lane Hall, Jacob Flake, and

Westin Hall.

Holly and Hailey Hunsaker.

Trenda and Kaeli singing JB rap.

Sean Hunsaker and Kendall Hall

Sunset at the Park

 

Teresa Smith taught some of the young women how to line dance. She couldn't make it tonight because she flew back to Ohio to be with her mother who is dying.  The girls were going to be dancing with some of the guys from the fire station but it was getting late and they still hadn't performed so James and I went home.  





Friday, June 28, 2013

This morning we took Max to IHOP for his birthday breakfast.  Addy, Rowan, Ruby, and Ben came too.  As we order our breakfast Ruby decides she wants macaroni and cheese.  Rowan and Addy ordered chocolate chip pancakes.  Ben and Max ordered the buttermilk pancakes with sausage and so did I.   James had chicken florentine crepes.  Rowan got the clean plate award for the kids and James for the adults.  Ruby didn't eat much of her mac & cheese but Addy finished it off.

We went back to the resort and James, Ben and Max left for Chandler.  I stayed to wash sheets and towels and clean as Ian and Sheri are spending the night. James had to fax a letter to the Registrar of Contractor's for the Shakir's.  They have issued a complaint.  Sheri faxed it for him at Chandler Eyecare.

I took a cleaning break to play a short game of Five Crowns with Addy.  She won.  When I was finished I took Addy, Rowan and Ruby home.  Afterwards I went to Target to get Max's birthday money and card, and then I delivered it to him.  I stopped by the house to get my Enbrel and Jared Ammon was there.  He got his haircut.  The last time I saw him it was looking pretty shaggy.  He looked so much better. In other Gonzo news, Dallin passed his driving test. 

I also have a story to tell about Adam, but it requires it's own paragraph.  I guess he was out jogging the other night and some guy with a knife attacked him.  Adam grabbed the guy and got the knife from him and cut him in the exchange.  When the police came the guy was long gone.  There was blood on the ground and when they asked Adam where it came from he told them he had cut the guy and as he ran away he left a trail of blood.  Adam had a small scratch on his hand.  Wow! I guess he's got some of that Lambson toughness.  I am not sure how tough the Gonzales side of the family is, but I sure wouldn't want to meet Adam in a dark alley if he was mad at me. 

James left for home before I did.  He took Alex, Joe, and Michael with him.  l wasn't too far behind them.  When we left it was 118 in the valley and it was 82 when we arrived in Vernon.  It was smoky because they are doing some prescribed burns in spite of the extreme fire danger. 

The boys went for a walk after dark but didn't stay long because they got spooked when they heard a noise.

It is always good to be home.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

James leaves to check on his job at Troon North and then comes back.  Soon after he comes back I leave for my appointment in Chandler with Dr. Douglas.  She looks at my tooth where I lost the filling and determines that I need a crown.  I wasn't too surprised.  Dr. Douglas does some shots, and some drilling and then the assistant puts in a temporary crown.

Before going back to Scottsdale I go to CVS pharmacy for James's prescription for bronchial pneumonia.  While I am waiting for the prescription to be filled I make a mistake by going to Walmart.  I buy three cut rate movies: "Puss and Boots", (I later found out I already have it, but it is hilarious!), "Chipwrecked", "Nacho Libre", and "Ernest T. Bass."

When I get back to the condo neither James nor I have had lunch so we go to NYPD pizza.  After lunch we went to Walmart to get Evan a pair of swim goggles per Sheri's request. 

When we got back to the timeshare it was pretty crowded.  Sheri was there with Alex, Michael, Ben, Max, Liam and Christian Ganem, and Evan.  The only one missing was Joshua.  I guess he is not coming to Ruby's birthday party.  Sheri and the boys had all been to Ray's pizza and they were eating their lunch. 

Ruby's party started at 2pm.  We had 26 people here!  Kim and Joe joined our group and of course Darrel and Trina and their kids.  From Trina's family there was Bryce, and Alexis and their kids, and Trina's mom, and Westley and Stacy and their little girl Emma. 
Ruby had asked for Lalaloopsy dolls for her birthday and she got several.  Darrel also got her some bunny slippers she had picked out in the store.  She was so proud of them!

After opening her gifts and eating ice cream and cake, the kids and Trina's family all went out to swim.  Because I didn't go out I got no pictures at the pool.  Here is what I got of the party:

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby and Her Bunny Slippers!

 

Ruby's Gifts

 

Ruby's Cake

 

 

After the party festivities it was swim time.  When everyone was finished swimming and it was time to go home Addy, Rowan and Ruby wanted to spend the night at the timeshare with us and Ben and Max.  Darrel and Trina went and bought them some food, underwear and toothbrushes and they settled in for the night.  First item of business was to watch "Puss and Boots" and the "Chipwrecked" for Ruby because after all this is her birthday celebration.

 



 

Perfect way to end such a busy, happy day.

 

 





Wednesday, June 26, 2013

This morning I paid bills and brought the two checkbooks up to date.  I also figured out how much tithing we owe.  It takes me awhile because I have to figure how much personal James spent on the credit card he uses and how much personal came out of Lambson Construction. 

I cancelled the credit card James uses after talking to him and deciding there were some bogus charges on it.  He didn't tell me he was shopping at Cabella's and when he went to check out they declined the card.  I felt so bad.  On top of this bad news he went to the doctor today and found out he has bronchial pneumonia.  He feels terrible and he wants me back down in the valley with him.  I leave around 3pm to meet him at the timeshare in Scottsdale. 

On the way out of town I stop at the Splash and Dash for gas and a carwash, something I am in the habit of doing before going to the valley.  I was going to stop at Sonic for something to eat but it was too busy so I went to Burger King instead.  I got a Whopper Jr., no mayo, and an order of onion rings.  Why the onion rings?  They sounded good but I always regret getting them after they are gone. 

My next stop was in Payson at the McDonald's for a chocolate dip cone.  Again, why?  No wonder I can't lose any weight. 

I get to the resort, Sheraton Desert Oasis around 7pm.  Ben and Max are there too.  There is no drinking water so I run to Fry's to get some.  I ask if anyone wants anything from Jack in the Box.  Ben orders some chicken strips and I get a sandwich for James.  Max didn't want anything. 

We play a round of Five Crowns with the boys.  Ben wins and James loses.  After the game the boys go swimming for awhile.  When they get back we have family prayer with them and go to bed.  I was quite tired from all the driving and running around I did today.

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.