Monday, August 19, 2013

I was up at 1am to wish myself a happy 65th birthday.  By 2am we left for Scottsdale.  James wanted to meet at Troon North where he is starting a job this morning with the superintendent Brad Andersen, and with Lloyd who is running the job.  I waited in the parking lot while they had their short meeting, then we headed south to the IHOP in Chandler for breakfast.  I took these pictures while waiting:

A beautiful morning on the desert.

I had a spinach and tomato omelet with hollandaise sauce.  James had ham and eggs but he was disappointed because his piece of ham was so tiny.  I should have taken a picture.

James had a meeting with Zaki this morning while I went to the house and sorted through our pile of mail. 
My driver's license expires today.  I thought I could renew online but not so because I had to take the vision test and get a new picture.  I had a lunch date with Karen Schneider today at 11am.  Karen bought my lunch and gave me a gift, a book entitled "Becoming His, A Daily Journey Toward Discipleship."  We had our regular fare, the sourdough bread with butter, coconut shrimp with the mango slaw, and a chocolate sundae for dessert.  Karen is such a good friend and I am so grateful for her in my life.

After lunch I went to the MVD and waited for two hours to get my new license.  Wow!  I look so old in my picture! 

I went back to Stacy's to change clothes and then went to Sheri's where James was waiting. When Sheri got home she and I went on a food run.  We went to Pizza Hut and picked up a pizza for the boys.  We then went to Sauce and got dinner for Ian and James.  Sheri and I got some bruschetta which was delicious!  We also stopped at Gigi's cupcakes and indulged.

This evening everyone, except Paul, Adam, Jared Adam, Trina, and Jared's family, came over to celebrate my birthday.   Sheri had a banana cream pie because she knows it's my favorite, and cupcakes for the kids.  Here are some of my gifts, not that I needed any, being with my kids and grandkids is really all I wanted.  Tickets to see SYTYCD on tour in November.  Going with Kim and Sheri.  James gets to come too!  Gift cards to Cheesecake Factory and Chili's.  Thanks to everyone!  It was a fun evening.

We spent the night at Sheri and Ian's.  Ben gave up his bed for us. 

Two broken limbs, and two of my favorite people.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

I got up early and read my scriptures and put a roast in the crockpot.  I ironed James's shirt and set his clothes and shoe out for him.  Jared gets his kids ready and goes to Church with us.  Darrel and Trina left early because Trina has to work this afternoon. 

Cory Seymore from the high council, and his dad Daryl were the speakers in our sacrament meeting.  The topic was marriage.  In other news, Sean Hunsaker is our new ward mission leader.  He will be great! 

Jared and his kids stayed the entire block.  I helped Anna find her class while Jared got the other kids settle in their classes.  I introduced Anna to Alice Wilhelm. 

During Sunday School we talked about the sacrifices made to build the Nauvoo temple.  Jared was right there with us. 

During Young Women Kaeli Nicoll taught a lesson on "Qualities of Righteous Women and Mothers."

After church we had a big lunch before Jared's family left for home.  We had BBQ beef sandwiches, macaron and cheese, pasta, beans, and salad.

After lunch James took a nap, Jared & Tricia took their kids on one last Razr ride, and I cleaned the kitchen.
I made a visit to the clubhouse at the request of Anna and Emmy.

Anna and Emmy gave me my birthday gifts.  A candle and some lotion.  Two of my favorite things.

After we said our goodbyes James and I watched The Walton's and Cedar Cove.  We have to be in Scottsdale tomorrow by 5am.  I talked James into leaving at 1am tomorrow morning.

 Jared and Tricia playing ping pong.

Sky at sunset.

Rain in the distance.

Ominous clouds.

Love the clouds!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Darrel got up at 5:30 this morning and took Rowan, James, and Jackson fishing at Chocolate Lake.  I don't think they caught anything, but that was so nice of him to get up early and take them.  Thanks Darrel!

Jared got up early and went to the temple.  I wanted to go with him, but James wanted me to stay home with him.  He's said that the new film is awesome.

Emmy and Addy loved playing ping pong.  I bought different colored balls and they gave all of them a name.  There was Gumdrop(pink), Lucky(orange), and Lemon Drop(yellow).  Lemon Drop died today because James Hayden hit him too hard.  The girls decided to give Lemon Drop a proper burial.

Lemon Drop's final resting spot.

Ping pong pals.

Everyone went to the ski run today except for James, Molly, Ruby and me.

Grandpa getting some hugs from two cuties!

Grandpa getting a fish hook out of Ruby's shirt.

Molly looking at my plants

Molly and her sly smile

Ruby on the run.

Two sweet little girls!

The plan at the ski run was for all the adults to rent bikes and mountain bike down the mountain.  Tricia brought her own bike (Titus) and was the only one who actually rode a bike.  It cost too much to rent bikes so Darrel and Trina rode the left, but it was cold and started to rain so they went to Greer.

 At the top of the ski run.

Tricia, mud, and Titus

When everyone returned from the ski run, Anna went to the clubhouse where she has spent most of her time and they younger girls went flower picking.  Here is a bouquet Cassie Barney brought to me:

Cassie's bouquet.

In other news today:  Rowan, James, and Jackson played poker.  

Emmy, Anna, and Addy played Five Crowns.

 Girls and Five Crowns, Jared and the Ipad.

Again, Jared cooked dinner, teriyaki chicken which Tricia had marinated, rice, and grilled asparagus.  Darrel did the dishes for the second night in a row. 

Addy and Emmy had such fun together.  They found a walking stick and named him "Nick the Stick."  Also, Emmy says she wants Grandpa's walker when he is finished with it.  She wants to do arm lifts on it so she can be buff and strong.  

Molly and Ruby cover their legs in bandaids because their legs had "itches" from walking in the grass picking flowers.  

Molly said to me: "Grandma, do you have any pretend babies?'  I think she meant baby dolls.  

James helped Rowan put his Lego set together.

Just hangin' out.

Friday, August 16, 2013

 Darrel says he saw a bat last night.  Oh great!

I had a doctor's appointment at Dr. Moffat's this morning at 9am.  Becky Skousen, a member of our war who works for Dr. Moffat, called it my "welcome to Medicare" appointment.  Before I left home I made two dozen cinnamon rolls.  I also made some oatmeal for James.  I got behind a logging truck going into Show Low and it made me late for my appointment.  I don't like logging trucks and I especially don't like getting behind them.

I like Dr. Moffat.  He wrote me a prescription for folic acid, metoprolol and hydrochlorithiazide.  Went to Walmart to fill my precriptions and did some shopping while I was there.  I saw Jared and Darrel doing their shopping too.  I got a three month supply of pills and it cost me $94.96.

On the way home I stop at Panda Express for some lunch, the dry cleaners, and to get gas.  I make James a grilled tuna sandwich for lunch.  After lunch everyone wants to go to the Pit and the Swing.  We take both ATV's and my car.

Fun at the Pit

Meeting of the minds.

Trina, Ruby, and Molly

Fun at the Swing

Found the memorial near the Swing

Waiting for a turn on the Swing

The Swing was fun for most of the kids and for Tricia.  Rowan wanted nothing to do with it but Ruby loved it.  Jared's kids had been before so they knew what to expect. 

When we get back from the Pit and Swing Trina and I take Rowan, Molly, and Ruby to the Vernon Park.  While there we end up finding a horse that the kids wanted to pet.

 

Jared, Tricia, Darrel and Trina got away for a few minutes to take a Razr ride without the kids.

Back at home Ruby and Molly decided they wanted to practice up on their fishing skills.

While Jared fixed burgers, hotdogs, and salmon for dinner, Darrel played a "Match" game with Ruby.

Jared fixed the food, and Darrel did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.  Such good boys I have!!

After dinner we had a little excitement or what I like to call "Batmania."  Trina said when she was using the restroom upstairs a bat came to visit.  She was freaked out but apparently so was he.  He squeezed under the door and went into the bedroom.  The quest was to remove this bat immediately.  Trina had a broom downstairs and Darrel one upstairs.  The poor bat didn't have a chance.  Darrel ended up swatting him to the ground.  We put him in a bag and James Hayden took him outside and released him.  Hope he doesn't come back.  Tricia took a video on her phone and all you could here was little girls screaming.  Did I mention that Stacy Barney and her three kids came to join us this evening?

I love this picture of our home in the mountains.  I love the clouds and beautiful green grass, and the trees.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

After my morning devotional I join James on the porch to read scriptures, a conference talk, and from our new Gerald Lund book, "The Guardian."

James's morning project.  Fixing the piece of tile he broke off a couple of weeks ago.

Even when he's crippled he works.

We made a trip into town today.  First stop, Licano's for lunch.  I had what I always have, a carne asada burro with green sauce.  Next time it's going to be an enchilada because I couldn't finish my burro.  James wanted to stop at Ace to look at wood-burning stoves but I talked him out of stopping saying we could look at them online.  I felt bad later when he said the only reason he went to town was to look at stoves.

I did some heavy duty shopping at Walmart to get ready for company.  Darrel & Trina, and Jared & Tricia, are coming this weekend.  James went in to look for something he needed and wore himself out.  I told him to get a motorized cart but he didn't want to.  He moved the car in the parking lot and decided he couldn't drive.  Thank goodness!  

Back at home we watched The Walton's until Darrel and Trina arrived around 6:30.  Rowan opened his birthday presents.  $30, Batman action figure, and a Donatello Lego set.  Here is the celebration.

Rowan, Trina and Ruby playing the Match game.

Rowan won.

Jared and Tricia arrived after we went to bed.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Happy 7th Birthday to Joshua!

I went to bed early enough last night then Zaki called at 11pm and woke me up.  In spite of this interruption I was up at 5:30 for the day.  For breakfast I had lemon lush pie. 

The high today was somewhere between 80-85.  I even had to turn the AC on for awhile in the bedroom while I was working on the computer.  James had to get a jacket.  I don't know what he's going to do this winter.

I made a nice lunch for James and then told him he could have leftovers for dinner.  I left around 4:40 to go visiting teaching to Rosie Lauritzen  The message was on welfare and I took her a little jar of honey.  Rosie gave me a birthday gift and card and told me I was the best visiting teacher she's ever had.  Wow!  That made my day!

After leaving Rosie's I went to the post office and then to class presidency meeting at the Church.  Our calender is full for the next three months.

For Mutual Sister Hunsaker finished Personal Progress interviews and the Laurels, Jordyn and Hailey, played Jenga.  The Mia Maids and Beehives did gymnastics and played basketball in the gym.