Tuesday, October 29, 2013

I got ready for a visit from my visiting teachers today.  I carried boxes upstairs and downstairs, cleaned the floors and put out more Halloween decorations, including my favorite talking pirate picture.  I am calling him Hagoth.

Alicia and Colter Hunsaker and Diane Gillaspy arrived around 10 am.  They were here for over an hour.  As soon as they left James hurried me out the door because he said he was meeting someone at Horne Auto around noon.  We stopped at Lynda Tanner's and dropped off a book about how to handle adversity. 

James realized he wasn't going to get to Horne's in time so he called the guy who had been there for awhile and talked with him on the phone.  Well that was easy.  Now we can go on to the important stuff like LaCasita, Walmart and Home Depot.

James called Jason today.  He said he and his wife debated for a long time but they decided not to buy our house, mostly because the master bedroom is not separate from the other bedroom.  Oh well, back to the drawing board.

James had a meeting tonight at the stake center.  It was on the new youth curriculum for Sunday School.  Since he is now over the Sunday School he was one of the presenters.  It's funt to see his enthusiasm for the program!

Facebook Finds

Sheri got a great picture of this owl in our Chandler neighborhood.  

She said there were two, but the other one flew away.

Paul posted this picture of Joshua 

enjoying a butterfly.

Adam and Joseph at Lion King.

Monday, October 28, 2013

I took some great sunrise pictures this morning.

Clouds over Mt. Vernon

Let the day begin!

When I get up early in the morning to study I always open the dining room window and wait for the sun to come up.  On days when there are clouds I am not disappointed!

The Encourage Foundation called this morning.  They are sending my Enbrel on Thursday to Chandler, free of charge!  They will only do this for three months and then they will re-evaluate my statis.

It was a windy day outside.  James had a hard time riding the Razr back from the post office.  I took boxes downstairs and unloaded some books today.  I made three blog entries which took a long time because I had to download so many pictures.

We did not hear from Jason today, the neighbor who was interest in buying our house.  James says he will call him tomorrow.

Today for scripture study James and I read Mosiah 5-7.  I read Alma 51-52 for my personal study.  We also read Elder Funk's conference address, "Called Of Him to Declare His Word."  I like this quote: 

" As you live a virtuous life, you will feel a peaceful confidence in your standing before God, and you will have the power of the Spirit to be with you."

James watched part of Dancing with The Stars with me.  We loved the "Foxing Awesome group dance with Derk and Amber, Karina and Corbin, Brant and Pets, and Jack and Cheryl done to the song "What Does the Fox Say?"

Tonight's sunset and a tree I copied from Facebook

I love these Vernon skies!

I have a thing for trees with bare branches.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

James went to high council this morning and I went to our ward council for Diana. 

Sherry Swansey leaving the Church was a big topic of conversation in ward council.  The bishopric visited her this week and told her we still loved her and would like to see her at ward activities.  The bishop thinks she will be back, but I am not sure.  I certainly hope so.

Today in sacrament meeting the Primary put on their annual program.  This year it was entitled "I Am a Child of God."  In Sunday School we talked about temporal and spiritual self-reliance.  I could certainly do better in both areas.

In Young Women's Sandra Wilhelm gave a lesson on Christlike service.  It was really good.  Afterwards Shelly Applegate carried my bag to my car for me.  I love that girl!!

Kathy Crane was selling her salsa and jalapeno jelly out of the back of her car after Church.  The women were gathered around giving her money, and I was included.  That jelly is to die for!  I told her it reminded me of the money changers at the temple.  Tamara Applegate laughed and said she felt the same way.  We all joked about it but Kathy seemed a little defensive.

We had our green chili burros for lunch then it was nap time.  James went home teaching with Kendall Hall to the Hunsaker's and the Peeler's then came home and cooked pork chops for dinner.

We read scriptures and read two conference addresses and watched a Hallmark movie before going to bed.

Paul posted this picture of Joshua on Facebook:

General Grievous is in town.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

I had my oatmeal at McDonald's this morning then I went to Evan and Rowan's soccer game with Sheri and Kim.  I spent most of the game visiting with Addy and Ruby.  Tomorrow they have their Primary program and I am going to miss it.

While I was gone to the soccer game, James rented a U-Haul trailer.  I am so happy!  I hate those flatbed trailers we have.  Michael helped us load it up.  Speaking of Michael here are a couple of pictures.  One was posted by Sheri on Facebook and the other by his dad.

Once we were loaded we headed for home.  I let James go the Globe way because I was hungry for Burger House.  I got a bean burro and ate it right away.  I save my green burro for tomorrow's lunch.  James ordered two mixed burros and a green burro for himself but ended up with three green burros. 

When we got to Vernon we unloaded the trailer and then tok it to Harold's place in Linden to return it.  We came back home and unloaded the 350 cans in the back of James's truck.  We were exhausted when we finished.  I took a much needed shower and we settled down to watch a Hallmark movie and Elementary before going to bed. 

I found these interesting statistics on Facebook today:
"11 states now have more people on Welfare then than they do employed.  They are: Hawaii, California, New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, and Maine.  Last month the Senate Budget Committee reports that in fiscal year 2012 the average U.S. household below the poverty line received $168 a day in government support. (Food stamps, housing, child care, Medicaid, etc.).
Being on Welfare now pays the equivalent of $30 an hour for a 40 hour week, while the average job pays $20 an hour.  The mean income in America is $50,000 a year.

Friday, October 25, 2013

I got an early start this morning.  I cleaned my old office and the game room.  

I had lunch at Serrano's today with Karen Schneider and Jackie Hall.  It was for Jackie's birthday.  The big news right now is about Karin Gonda Westerman and her husband Steve.  He has been diagnosed with brain cancer and is beginning treatments.  Karin is expecting their first baby.  She has had complications with her pregnancy, she lost amniotic fluid and so she is in the hospital here in Chandler while he is in the hospital in Scottsdale.  It is a very trying time for this couple who have not even been married a year yet.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.

It was nice to visit with my good friends Jackie and Karen.  We are sorry that Janis Willis couldn't join us.  We were a foursome back in the day.

Sheri got off work early to help me today.  She carried up all the stuff I had stacked in the game room.  I vacuumed downstairs and Stacy vacuumed and cleaned the wood floors upstairs.  Around 5pm our neighbor Jason came to see the house with his wife.  I went down to Sheri's and hung out with her and Kim in Sheri's bedroom.  She has a nice bed and a cozy chair to sit in.  James said Jason would let us know by Monday if he was interested in buying the house. Joe was also at Sheri's and he and Kim just happend to have on the same shirt.

Like mother, like son.  Look how tall Joe is!

Sheri, Kim, and Brian help us load about 300 or so cans in the back of our truck.  We will have to put the rest in a trailer.

  We invited Brian and Kim to dinner at Pei Wei but they declined.  Sheri, James and I had a great time at Pei Wei.

The boys, Michael and Joseph sang at Sozo tonight.  Sorry we missed it but I was exhausted.

Trina posted this picture of her kids taken before going to the ward Trunk or Treat.  I love it!!

 A butterfly, a zombie pirate, and an angel.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

I studied, went to McDonald's for my oatmeal and diet coke and started to work hauling cans upstairs.  I came across this quote in my morning studies: "Discouragement weakens Faith."  I must not get discouraged!

I worked slowly but methodically carrying four cans at a time upstairs.  This afternoon Sheri came to help.  She is like Super woman!  She was carrying two boxes containing four cans each up the stairs each trip.  She is amazing.  She also got all the buckets of wheat off the top shelf that I couldn't reach.  They are very heavy and she was carrying two at a time. 

James brought me lunch from Elmer's.  Delicious!  I was so achy and tired by the end of the day and I think Sheri was too. 

Michael, Joe, and Alex had a choir concert this evening.  I was just too tired to go and also it cost $10 per person.  Here is a picture of Michael in his choir attire:

Handsome young man!

Here are some more quotes from my morning gospel study:

Mormon 9:21

"Whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth."

Rescuing Wayward Children

"The Lord will tailormake conversion opportunities for every child."

(I love this quote!)

From Facebook:

A couple of Harold's grandkids who are seniors at Show Low High.

Colby Maxwell (Brian's son) and Kaytlynn Maxwell (Monte's daughter)

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Some quotes from my gospel study:

"Be still and know that I am God"

From Rescuing Wayward Children:

"Every effort that we make to increase our own level of sanctification has a direct redeeming effect on those for whom we are praying."

"When a seal is put upon the father and mother, it secures their posterity, so that their children cannot be lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father and mother." - Joseph Smith

Such is the power of the temple!

"Though our children may seem lost today, they are not permanently lost.  If they are sealed to us in the temple, and if we keep our temple covenants, they will return after they have received the Lord's correction." - President Boyd K. Packer, February 9, 2008.

I love this book because it brings so much hope!

We left for the valley this morning around 8:15.  We stopped in Payson for gas and then when we got to Chandler we went straight to Jersey Mike's for lunch.  When we got to the house Adam was there and we had a nice visit with him.

Skittle, Adam, and James.

I carried up 100 #10 cans from the basement this afternoon.  I was pretty tired when I finished.  I will do more tomorrow.  Michael came to my rescue with his candy bars.  I bought one of each from him.

I took this picture of Evan and Max helping Joshua do his homework.

Evan, Joshua, and Max.

Facebook 

I love this quote that Sheri posted!

Alicia and Stefani Hunsaker in the early years.

Stefani is now our ward choir director and

Alicia is the ward Relief Society president.