Saturday, September 28, 2013

I got up early to catch up on my scripture reading.  I always get behind when we go to the valley.  I am also very behind on my blog/journal.  I posted for August 12th and 13th today.  I guess I got behind while James was in the hospital.

Kathy Crane called this morning and invited me to ride with her to the Relief Society Broadcast and dinner in Show Low.  I told her thank you but I had been gone the last couple of days and I just wanted to stay home and watch it.

I also watched Project Runway.  I was so happy when James sat down and watched the runway show with me.  The two redheads, Kate and Alexander, go home.

James and I rode the Razr to the post office.  One the way home James had to try and call up some elk.

 Elk made the weirdest sound!

Speaking of elk, Talon Wilhelm got his elk this week.  Talon and his Dad, John.

 I am feeling anxious about my family right now.  Some of my children and grand children are struggling to live the gospel.  James and I pray for them on a daily basis.

One of my "projects" for the day was to get the dried mud off of our driveway.  This is what it looked like before I began.

James finished the project for me so I could watch the Relief Society Broadcast.

The broadcast was so good.  I wish I could have taken all my girls to listen to it.  It was about honoring our covenants and teaching our children to honor their covenants.  President Monson also spoke on the power of prayer.
Here is a brief review:
1.  Linda K. Burton -'The Power, Joy, and Love of Covenant Keeping' - "I invite each of us to evaluate how much we love the Savior, using as a measure how joyfully we keep our covenants."
2.  Carole M. Stephens - 'We Have Great Reason to Rejoice' - "When you love, watch over, and serve others in small and simple ways, you are actively participating in the work of salvation."
3.  Linda S. Reeves - 'Claim the Blessings of Your Covenants' - "As we renew and honor our covenants, our burdens can be lightened and we can continually become purified and strengthened."
4.  President Thomas S. Monson - 'We Never Walk Alone' - "You will one day stand aside and look at your difficult times, and you will realize that He was always there beside you."

Doing the dishes so I can watch the RS Broadcast

Aaron's daughter Katie was baptized today.  We were sorry we weren't able to be there, but Gail came all the way from Oregon to see his granddaughter baptized.

Katie, Beckham, Sammy, Anna, Aaron, and Kari

Grandpa Gail and Uncle Erik

In other news, Kendall Hall, who is preparing to serve a mission in Argentina, went through the temple today with his parents.  Kendall is James's home teaching companion.

Sister Denice Hall, Kendall, and Bishop Hall

Friday, September 27, 2013

I leave for my doctors appointment at the Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates in Mesa at 6:40.  My appointment is at 7:15.  Now that I am on Medicare there is no co-pay here.  It used to be $60.00.  Out of the blue Doctor Caldron asks me how Show Low got it's name, so I tell him.  He examines me, and orders bloodwork and a flu shot.  They forgot to give me my flu shot.  He also write me a prescription for Enbrel and I tell him I want to try just the Enbrel without Methotrexate for awhile.  He agrees, at least until my next visit in January.

Stacy has not been watering the front lawn because the water pressure is so low.  I go by and pick up a new sprinkler to see if that helps, but it doesn't.  James is going to call Brent to fix the front faucet.  Our control valves are under the berm in the orchard when now belongs to someone else.  We may have to dig that berm up. 

For lunch James and I went to Arizona's Handcrafter Bakery on Alma School and Ray to get some hand pies.  I was disappointed.  We took an apple one to Sheri.

I went shopping at Sam's Club for our dinner with Harold, Vickie, Dennis, and Denise that we are doing on Sunday.  I got some of their delicious fillet mignon steak. 

On the way home we have to go by Scottsdale National Golf Course to check on the cartpath color.  It takes us an extra hour as we work our way through Fountain Hill.  I am grumpy and tired, so we stop at Taco Bell in Fountain Hills, and McDonald's in Payson. 

When we get to Show Low we stop at Safeway's so I can finish doing my dinner shopping for tomorrow night.  While I am in the store James sees Heather Horner and her son Ocean.  She always did want to be a marine biologist.

When I try to get back on the highway there is an old car parade going on and it is impossible to make a left turn so I turn right and take the back roads.  Funny!  As we try and come back on the highway on the other side of town the parade is going by again!  Some days you just can't win. 

After unloading the car and putting things away we settle down to watch an episode of The Walton's before going to bed.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

I stayed up late last night paying bills and now I am up early getting ready to go to the valley.  We left the house around 6:20 and arrive in Chandler in plenty of time for James's 10am dental appointment.  He is getting his teeth cleaned.  I dropped him off while I went shopping at Target and Hobby Lobby.

After James's appointment we went to Elmer's Tacos to get our machaca tacos and machaca burros and strips.  We barely get out of there before the Chandler high kids get there.  We went to Sheri's to eat.  No one else was there.  Sheri came in while we were taking a nap.  I go with her to pick up Evan and Max from Bright Beginnings.  Max seems agitated, and grumpy.  A stop a Sonic for some food and drink helped.  Max likes to tease Evan when he is in one of his moods.  Sheri takes Max with her to pick up Ben while I help Evan with his homework.  Evan is so much happier when he is not being teased.

When the older boys got home from school, Alex, Michael, and Joe they sing accapella for us, along with Dallin.  They are really good.

Alex, Michael, Joe, and Dallin

We have a domino effect when we stay with Sheri.  We sleep in Ben's bed, Ben sleeps in Max's, Max sleeps in Evans and Evan sleeps with his parents.

A cute picture of Joshua and his pets.

Skittles, Joshua, and Holly

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

A busy and productive day.  I made two batches of zucchini bread.  The first batch, two loaves, came out before 9am.  James and I sampled one load and I took the other loaf to Linda Diewald, on of the sisters I visit teach.  I used the zucchini Kathy Crane grew in her garden.  Here is what James was doing whileI was baking bread.

 I had a nice visit with Linda and then came home to make more bread.  I made two more loaves that were even better than the first two.  I took one to Lannie Gillespie.  Lannie has her foot in a boot and hs been through several surgeries in the past 18 month.  She is suppose to be able to walk without the boot but she says her heel hurts too much.  I love Lannie!''

After leaving Lannie's I made a trip into town to get ink for the printer.  I came home and printed off an idea for a Book of Mormon Murder Mystery for Mutual tonight.  I also had 127 ideas for value projects.  I was the only leader there tonight other than Denice Hall.  I had the Beehives and Mia Maids.  Our murder mystery was fun.

Go Daddy, the owner of Scottsdale National Golf Course stopped the job that James's crew is doing there.  Something about them disturbing the golfers.  I guess they will have to finish next week.

Here are some pictures of the yellow flowers I took today.  I know they will soon be gone and I want to remember them.

Up close they look soo yellow!

In the field they look more golden.

The back yard is full of them!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

James and I went to the temple today.  We made it to the 10:30 session.  It was quite full with 32 sisters, and 20 brothers.  James saw Nancy Brusstar Morris, Ross Carpenter, someone he went to college with, and Barry Flake and Vern Turley, two people we went to high school with.

After our session we went to El Cupidos for lunch.  We saw several other people there who were in our temple session.  Everybody knows that even though they are located inside a gas station, El Cupidos has the best mexican food in town.  

When we got home we watched The Walton's and then took a nap.  This evening around 5:30 James took me on a Razr ride.  We went up forest road 61, the road that goes to Green's Peak, and then we turned onto forst road 96 where we saw two huge bull elk.  They are so majestic and beautiful out in nature.  We came out on Apache county road 3140 and went passed our girls campe.  It was a little cold, but such a beautiful evening.  The only thing that made me sad was that this is the second day in a row that we have had no clouds.  When we drove up in our driveway a squirrel ran out of our garage.  Next time we will leave the door closed.

I copied this pictures off of Facebook today:

 Tricia, James and Molly

James, Jared, and Tricia

Our friends from Chandler,

Curtis and Hillary Whalen

on their wedding day.

Monday, September 23, 2013

When I got up this morning at 4am, it was 33 degrees outside.  I use my little space heater in the dining room as I study.  I read an article in the Ensign about hope.  Moroni wrote about hope in the Book of Mormon in Moroni 7:40-41 and Moroni 8:26. 

"Hope is the portal to peace."

"Negative thoughts are the termites of the soul."

The sky looks naked without any clouds.  The low today was 33 and the high was 73. A beautiful day, but without clouds.  I love clouds.

I took a trip to town by myself today.  James was busy working on a bid.  I got already to go but when I stepped outside and saw how dirty my car was I know I have to wash some of the dried mud off before I go anywhere.  Why do I get so much mud caught in the tire wells?  Huge chunks of it drop off as I spray it with the house.  

My stops while in town: Taco Bell for lunch, Walmart, and Giant for gas.  When I get home I read to James from Visions of Glory while he makes chocolate covered strawberries and bananas.  

This evening while he was doing some work on the computer I watched Dancing with the Stars.  My two favorite couples are Karin and Corbin Bleu, and Derrek and Amber Riley.  

I missed Michael, Joe, and Alex's first Chandler High Choir Concert.  Thank goodness Kim took some pictures.

 

Sunday, September 22, 2013

I get up a little after 4 this morning.  I ironed James's shirt and fix his breakfast and have prayer with him before he leaves for his high council meet at 5:20am.  I attended ward council today at 7am for Diana who is in the valley this week.  The focus was on missionary work.  The focus in sacrament meeting was also on missionary work.  The two fulltime Elders, Elder Bond and Elder Boyer, who are both coincidentally from the Houston area, and Sean Hunsaker, the ward mission leader, were the speakers.  Elder Boyer had to overcome many obstacles and handicaps to be here on his mission.  He had spinal meningitis and a speech impediment.  His faith in overcoming those obstacles was inspirational.

In Sunday School we discuss the Martin & Willie Handcart companies.  We sat by Stan and Chris Palmer.  Stan's family was in my ward when I was growing up in Show Low.  I was friends with his sister Darlene.  He says that Darlene still lives in the house that they grew up in.  She has lived in the same house for over 50 years.

In Young Women Jordyn, Shelly, and Maddie reported on value experiences they were working on.  I had given them this assignment last week.  They did a great job.  Afterwards they got to chose a candy bar from my personal progress candy stash.  Sister Wilhelm gave a lesson on keeping the sabbath day holy.  I also gave candy bars to Talon Wilhelm and Holly Hunsaker for helping us yesterday at our fund raiser.

It was raining when church was over, and it was cold and windy.  I couldn't even see Mt. Vernon on the way home.  Of course our road was very muddy and slippery.

When I got home I took my Sunday clothes off and put my comfy clothes and then I realized I did not have my phone with me and that I must have left it at the church.  I put my Sunday clothes back on and went to get it.  I found the phone on a chair in the young women's room just where I had left it.

I had some roast for lunch.  James had already eaten.  We both took a nap then I dropped him off at the Peeler's where he was meeting Kendall Hall for home teaching.  They also went to the Hunsaker's and then to Lynda Tanner's.  James forgot to meet with Sister Vaught after church but Kendall said he took care of it.  It's nice to see Kendall being so responsible.  He leaves for his mission on November 20th.

James was supposed to attend a high priest group meeting in Show Low at six but he missed it because he was at Lynda Tanner's so long.  Her husband is a non-member and Kendall ask if he could baptize him before he left on his mission.  His response was: "Oh, there's no hurry."  Well there is a hurry because John, Lynda's husbands name, is dying of cancer.  Apparently Lynda has not told him how serious his condition is.
James had two things in common with Lynda and John.  They have a talking bird, and Lynda knows Uncle Delbert.  James was so grateful to finally be able to visit with this family.

This evening James made me my favorite treat, chocolate covered strawberries.  He certainly knows the way to my heart!  We had scriptures together and then watched at episode of The Walton's.

I missed Max, Evan, and Joshua's Primary program today.  Here are the kids gathered around the Primary chorister, whom they love and a picture of Ian with some of his Primary class.