Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy 40th Birthday to Kim!

Playing Rockband with the guys.

Brian fixed breakfast casserole for Kim's birthday breakfast.  Instead of using ham he used sausage and bacon and green chilies.  It was very yummy!  He showered Kim with gifts and in my estimation is a very thoughtful husband.  We gave her a giftcard to Cheesecake Factory.

James took Darrel's kids back to Chocolate Lake.  This time he takes the Razr, pulling a sled behind, onto the lake.  

Ruby getting ready to go.

Rowan, ready for some action.

Razr on ice.

Addy going for a ride.

Can I just say how grateful I am to James for taking these kids out and showing them a good time.  He also took the older boys up to Negro Knoll and they saw 60 elk and then he took them riding down the pit in the snow.  He has spent so much time with grandkids this week and I am so grateful to him!

 

While James was gone with the kids I worked on my blog and caught up on some of my 2013 reading.  I finsihed Our Heritage, the Lorenzo Snow manual, and the Book of Mormon for the 8th time this year.

For most of the day we just hung out with family and relaxed.

Doing puzzles.

Watching a movie.

Addy and Rowan wanted to watch Iron Giant but Ruby wanted to watch Despicable Me2 again.  Addy and Rowan won so Ruby carried her movie upstairs, climbed up on her bed and went to sleep with her arm around it.  She missed all of the New Year's celebrations but at least she got a good night's sleep.

This evening around 6 pm. James and I went to a potluck New Year's Eve party at Collin and Wendy Dewitt's.  I took sausage stuffed mushrooms and some cheese bread.  The mushrooms were a hit, especially with Jimmie Applegate who asked for the recipe.  After a delicious potluck dinner everyone was directed to write the name of a famous person on a slip of paper and Wendy put them all in a bowl.  It was men against the women and we took turns drawing names and giving hints as to who we were.  The best was Mel Wilhelm who put James's name in the pot.  He acted like he was using a walker and said:  This guy hangs around Vernon and is on the high council.  

Those attending the party: Us, the Dewitts, Mel and Ruth Wilhelm, Bishop and Denice Hall, Dave and Rosa Westbrook, Jimmie and Tamara Allegate, Blain and Diana Curtis, Brother and Sister Mayfield, Sean and Stefani Hunsaker, and Kip and Alicia Hunsaker, April Allen, Audrey Guerrero, Julie Wilhelm, the Vaughts, the Woods', the Peeler's, and Elder Boyer and Elder Westover.  It was a fun evening but we left early to get back to celebrating with Kim.

Wendy Dewitt sitting by her gorgeous

Christmas tree.

Back at home we played Five Crowns, ate cake and ice cream, and watched Darrel's fireworks show.

Happy New Year!

Facebook finds:

Samuel Jack Lambson

7lbs 2oz

19 inches long

Parents: Tim & Becca Lambson

Tim is James's brother

Gail's son.

Monday, December 30, 2013

What a fun day with nine guests in our home.  The older boys played video games and Rock Band.  Darrel's kids wanted to go on a Razr ride so James took them.  Later Addy wanted to go for a walk to take some pictures. Of course Ruby and Rowan wanted to come too, but they ran on ahead of us.  As we were walking only Addy said to me: "It's so beautiful here.  I wish we could live here."  So do I Addy, so do I!

As we were walking down our road James picked us up on the Razr. The kids, with Ruby steering, all wanted to go to Chocolate Lake because it's frozen.  That's where James took them this morning.  They had so much fun walking and running on the frozen lake.

 Ruby ready to brave the cold.

Ruby on ice.

Addy and Rowan.

When we were leaving a woman was walking along with two dogs.  Ruby yelled at her over the drone of the Razr: "Hey, no dogs allowed!"  I am not sure if the woman heard or not.  

Back at home we had hot chocolate and then Rowan wanted to watch The Wizard of Oz.  He always gets out my little mini Madam Alexander dolls I got at McDonald's a few years ago.

The starring cast of the Wizard of Oz,

minus Toto and the Wizard.

After the movie James and I went into town.  I needed to get appetizers for tomorrow night's New Years Eve party at the Dewitt's and James wanted to fix the Cat tire and get gas for the Razr.  I also bought the game Joshua got for Christmas, Boom, Boom, Balloon.  While we were gone the kids watched the movie The Croods.

Darrel made tacos for dinner and Brian made chicken fettuccini alfredo.  I had a taco.  Kim always works on a puzzle while she is here and of course the kids were interested but the puzzle was too hard for them so I got a 100 piece puzzle out and did it with Addy and Rowan.  Here is a picture of Kim's puzzle.

Chocolate in over 1,000 pieces.

I played a game of Five Crowns with Kim.  Addy came over and chose to help Kim, and guess what?  They beat me.  

Ed and Wes Miller came by to work on the heater.  They said they would be back again tomorrow.

We did a FHE on family and church history.  I told a story from church history and James told a couple from his familiy's history.   Ruby wasn't very interested.  She found the feather duster and was dusting everything she could find, including my glasses.  Here are some pictures I took:

Our fearless leader and teacher.

Ruby dusting the pine cones.

Rowan hiding under his blanket.

The older boys and part of Darrel.

Playing Boom, Boom.  Notice

Rowan covering his ears.

After FHE and Boom, Boom, Balloon, Darrel's kids came in our room and watched "The Rise of the Guardians."  The older boys and Brian and Darrel watched ASU get beat by Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl.

Facebook finds:

Joshua playing with his

Schaub cousins.

Max bought season five of The Mentalist

for Sheri with his Christmas money.

He is now the favorite son.

Eric & Christy Wanlass on
their wedding day over 20 years ago.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

April Allen and Sean Hunsaker were the speakers in church today.  April spoke on forgiveness and Sean on not being offended easily.  President Williams and President Van Winkle were both on the stand.  President Williams was ask to give the closing remarks.  He talked about preparing to recive ordinances and missionary work.

In Sunday School Brother Wilhelm did a review of the year and made a list of class members favorite scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants.  He also encouraged us to read the booklet "Our Heritage."

The Priesthood, Relief Society, Young Men and Young Women, met together during the third hour to be taught by our bishopric.  The Theme: Family History.  We watched several short videos and were given a booklet entitled: "My Family Stories That Bring Us Together."  Children who know about their families and ancestors are more resilient and better adjusted according to a recent study.  It was a great meeting!

Kim, Brian, Joe, Michael and Alex arrived while we were at church.  They had lunch ready when we got home.  We had hotdogs and chili.  The roast I put in this morning wasn't quite done.  We had it for dinner and it was delicious!

I played Five Crowns with Kim this afternoon and indexed 100 names.  It was after 8pm when Darrel and his kids, Addy, Rowan, and Ruby arrived.  I watched Despicable Me 2 with them.  It was my first time.

Facebook finds:

Evan at one of his favorite places,

The Lego Store!

Christopher and McKell Hughes

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Gospel Study

"Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple."

- Elder Russell M. Nelson

"I invite each of us to evaluate how much we love the Savior, using as a measure how joyfully we keep our covenants."

-Elder Russell M. Nelson

I got up early to study and then to get ready to go to the church and clean.  We are assigned to work with: Chuck and Kathy Crane, and Jerry and Millie Scott.  We were there from 9-11, then James and I left for town.  I got a text from Kim.  They won't be coming until tomI orrow now.  Michael and Alex are sick and she wants to clean her house.  James and I had lunch at LaCasita.  Our favorite waitress, Charlotte, is on vacation.  I saw Jimmy and Carol Seay but I am ashamed to say that I didn't speak to them.  They didn't see me.  Perhaps that was a missionary opportunity the Lord prepared for me and I didn't take advantage.  I have some repenting to do.  Carol is my cousin.  She is my Aunt Dorothy's daughter.  Dorothy was my mom's older sister.

I do some shopping at Walmart while James goes to Panda to get our dinner.  While he is gone he also dumps our trash and gets some gas.  He is very efficient.  Soon we are on our way home.

This afternoon we watched a Christmas movie made in 1991 with Lauren Bacall in it.  It's called "All I Want for Christmas."  It was about two kids trying to get their parents back together.  Very cute.

James took the tractor and went down to fill the huge hole in the rode before Kim and Brian come.  He is concerned about our well pump because it keeps going off and on.  Hopefully we will have water while our company is here.  

I worked on my blog and made two loaves of banana nut bread.  James tells me it's his favorite treat.  I guess I need to make it more often.  

This evening we watched "Pete's Christmas", and "Kristin's Christmas Past."  Of course I fall asleep.  I got a text from Darrel.  They are coming up tomorrow.  Hurrah!  The more the merrier!  Wish we had more snow for the kids.  Tonight we missed McKell Miner's wedding reception.

Christopher and McKell Hughes

Facebook finds:

Playing Headbanz

I want one of

Friday, December 27, 2013

Today was what I call a recovery or "down" day.  No where to go, nothing really pressing to do.  I am a little concerned about Jared.  Yesterday during our visit he said he can no longer run because his knees are so bad.  He also said he thinks he must have walking pneumonia because his breathing is so shallow.  We will pray for him and his speedy recovery.

I paid some bills today, worked on my blog, and watched some T.V.  James spent most of the day working on his audit for the insurance company. 

Nothing exciting happening with the weather right now.  The highs are in the 40's and 50's and there is no snow or moisture predicted for the next 10 days.  There will barely be any clouds.  Kim will be disappointed when she comes up for her birthday. 

Our house was a wee bit chilly when we got home last night.  I actually went to bed shivering, which is highly unusual for me.  Things are more back to normal today.

I am not ready to take our Christmas decorations down until after Kim's visit. 

James and I watched a cute movie starring Haylie Duff.  It was called "Hats Off to Christmas."  '

Facebook finds:

Thursday, December 26, 2013

We got up before 5am to leave for El Paso by 5:20.  We did most of the packing last night.  James drove while I relaxed and dozed from time to time.  Since Bride of Pendorric was packed away I read to him from my new Sheri Dew book "Women and the Priesthood."  We arrived at Jared and Tricia's around 11 am.  We had to call Jared and get directions to their new house.

A little crisis had occurred before we arrived and Anna had run away.  We were greeted warmly by everyone else, including their new dog that they found, Bruce.  He's a big dog but he's very gentle.

James H. and Bruce

James and Molly seemed especially happy to see us.  The kids opened their gifts from us and from Lois and Dawn.  Emmy and Molly especially liked the Barbie dolls with the fancy dresses that Lois sent.  Molly put a Barbiedress on Emmy's Lalaloopsy doll, Bea Spellsalot.  Molly took me upstairs to show me her and Emmy's room and Anna's.  Still no Anna.  Emmy wanted me to go outside and play tetherball with her.  I deferred to James.

James won, but only because he was taller than Emmy.

He paid for it afterwards.

Bruce and James Hayden.

The back end of Penny.

My she has grown!

 James and Penny.

Molly showed me how she could pump herself on the swings.  She is very entertaining.

She also showed me how she could ride her new bicycle that she got for Christmas.

Emmy got a bow and arrow for Christmas again this year.  We got her one last year.  Here she is with Grandpa practicing.

Checking the Target

Tricia went out looking for Anna and found her but Anna would not get out of the car.  I finally went out talk to her and give her Christmas presents to her.  She did come over and give me a hug.  

We had lunch, a delicious taco soup, and after visiting for only two hours, we were on our way home.   We stopped in Silver City for gas, a potty break, chocolate and a drink.  We were home a little after 7pm after traveling almost 800 miles.

It felt good to be home.  We unloaded the car and watched a Christmas movie before going to bed.  Oh yes, and for dinner James made us grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.