Wednesday, July 16, 2014

And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith.  And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life.  And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son.  And even all this can ye do if ye will.  Amen.

-Alma 33:23

Can you find the three black birds?

 Joshua and I went to chocolate lake this morning.  Alex caught a fish there on Saturday which is amazing because there is so little water in it right now.  On the way home Joshua spotted a jack rabbit and we had fun chasing him for awhile.  

Back at home Joshua watches TV and eats soda crackers and drinks pink lemonade while I try to clean.  I swept and mopped the kitchen after doing the dishes and wiping down all the counters and the stove.  I vacuumed the family room and our bedroom, swept and mopped the hall, bath, laundry room and entryway and then I swept and polished the wood floors.  

 James got up in the middle of the night with his crew and

poured this concrete at the Chandler Airport.

Joshua and I made a trip into town this afternoon to get a helmet for him to wear when he's riding on the Razr.  

Joshua's new helmet for the Razr.  His favorite color is red.

We also washed my car but because of all the rain we have had it got muddy on the way home.  

Stacy called and said she was coming into Vernon but wasn't sure she could find her way to our place so Joshua and I hopped on the Razr to meet her.  The funny thing is we missed her when she went on  N3465 instead of N3466.  She also turned in at Pierre's, but when finally  brought her home.  

While I went to Mutual Stacy and Joshua had Arby's for dinner, courtesy of Stacy.  Tonight at Mutual the young women worked on Personal Progress, Choice & Accountability value experiences 1&2.  Kilee Hunsaker is my Mia Maid class president.  I gave her the assignment to call Hope, Maddie, and Kelly and remind them to bring their Personal Progress books and their For the Strength of Youth books.  She reported that she tried texting all of them but got no response.  Next time I need to remember to emphasize the word call.

Watched part of Despicable Me 2 with Stacy and Joshua until Joshua and I got so tired we had to go to bed.

Facebook finds:

 Ben at Big Surf.

Max and Evan got school haircuts today.

Adorable cheeks on two adorable girls!

 

 

Tuesday, July 15th, 2014

I like this idea and I have a very pleasant

career: I'm a Mom, Grandma and Wife!

 The Castle

The Princess Lola

Sheri is so faithful about running.  She runs in the heat in the valley and when it looks like rain up here.  I wish I had her dedication.

  Can you see the antelope in these pictures?  This is in downtown Vernon across from the post office.  Sheri took both of these pictures when she and I went to Standford Store to get gas for the Razr.

 

Ian, Sheri, and I drove up to Buckelew Springs on the Razr to see if the falls were running.  It looked like they had been, maybe yesterday, but today they were not.

Taken by Buckelew Springs

Stacy called and asked if Joshua could come home with Sheri and Ian.  Joshua didn't seem to like that idea so I had him call her.  He reminded her that she promised to come and get him, so she agreed that she would come on Wednesday afternoon.

 

We played one last game of Hearts.  Sheri was ahead the first few rounds and even bragged about it on Facebook, but she ended up losing because Ben ran it.  I had 99 points.  

 

Ian took the boys up to the Pit and the Swing.  When Joshua came back he said it was the best day of his life and then he said: "That's a little dangerous though."  While they were gone James called me and asked me to go down and check the hot water heater.  As soon as I opened the basement door I knew we had a flood because I could smell wet cardboard.  I have Christmas decorations stored in the hot water heater room and all the boxes on the floor were soaked.  Ian noticed the ceiling when he got home.  So maybe the leak is coming from somewhere besides the water heater.

We are thinking maybe it's our whirlpool bath tub that is leaking.

I drive to Home Depot to get a wet vac.  When I get back Sheri vacuums up all the water and helps me move the boxes, etc.  I was very grateful to her.  

Once we get things semi under control downstairs Sheri, Ian, Ben, Max, and Evan leave for home.  Joshua is happy to stay without his buddies.

It was a great few days with this fun family,

and Joshua too!

This evening Joshua and I took a Razr ride to town to see if we could see the antelope.  I guess Sheri and I scared them away earlier today.  I did get this picture of the sunset though.

 My friend Lynda Tanner, who was a horse trainer for many years posted this picture on Facebook and I couldn't resist.

Pretty in pink.  It keeps the flies and 

gnats away.

Monday, July 14, 2014

James and Alex got up early to go coyote hunting.  They were back by breakfast time.  I made good on my promise to the boys and made them some of my homemade french toast along with sausage, and turkey bacon.  

When I took my shower this morning I had mildly warm water and Sheri said she didn't have any hot water either.  Before James left for the valley he checked the downstairs hot water heater and found the pilot to be off, so he lit it.  He told me to keep at eye on it and make sure the leak didn't get any worse.  There was some standing water in the bowl at the bottom of the water heater.

I called Stacy and asked if she wanted Joshua to come home with James and she said no, she was coming up.  Alex did come home with him though. 

Ben had been taking the boys on Razr rides since they got here, but he may not be doing it anymore.  When they got back this morning Sheri and I asked Evan if he had fun.  This was his reply:  "Not that much.  Ben tipped the Razr over and we couldn't get it back up until some guy with a mustache and gray hair (Chuck Crane)  helped us. Ben was so upset he was outside and wouldn't come in until Sheri went out to talk to him.  Evan said he was trying to dodge a rock when it flipped.  Luckily none of the boys were hurt.

Sheri did my new Princess puzzle that Kim got me two times.

She is good. 

  It rained alot today.  We should have gone up to check Buckelew Springs.  Ian cooked steaks for dinner.  We also had broccoli which is Joshua's favorite vegetable.

Ian and Sheri went on a short Razr ride this evening and saw lots of elk down on the corner.   

This evening we all watched Master Chef together.  I was surprised these three were so interested.  I guess it's one of Evan's favorite shows.

 Lots of legs and feet. 

Here they are again.

Darrel is taking his pharmacy licensing exam tomorrow so he asked James to give him a blessing.  

After the blessing he took Addy on a date to Golden Corral.  

Addy's menu tonight consisted of pizza, mac and cheese, and several servings of her favorite food, jello.

James sent me this picture taken in Mesa.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

James left early this morning for his high council meeting in my car.  I was up studying and preparing for my young women's lesson on why we need temple ordinances.  Sheri helped me prepare my handouts and she gave Joshua a bath with her boys.  When James returned he made sure Joshua had breakfast, was dressed and had his hair combed.  The Trezise's left for church before we did and saved us a row right in the middle of the chapel.  I guess Judy Hunter thought she had saved the row with her purse but Sheri and Ian didn't even see it.  When Ian tried to apologize she just glared at him.  She was afraid she wouldn't have anyone to sit by that she knew but she sat right in front of us with Paula Johnson.

Today was Aaron Windsor's farewell and the first time Bishop Hall has been here since the end of May.  Aaron spoke on the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement.  He was very emotional when he spoke about the Savior and he is so excited to be able to share his testimony with others as he has the opportunity to spread the gospel.

This is Aaron at work.  He is a cook at Pizza Hut.

  Brother Brimhall, one of James's friends on the high council was the other speaker.  He spoke on a talk given by Julie B. Beck that was published in the March 2011 Ensign. The talk is entitled "The Doctrine of the Family".  Sister Beck encourages families to be "Brilliant in the Basics."

Joshua went back to the cabin with the Trezise's after saca. rament meeting.  James attended a youth Sunday School class.  I was glad to have Brother Wilhelm back as our gospel doctrine teacher.  The lesson today was on David & Bathsheba.  My lesson in Young Women's went well.  I gave the following 4-page handout for the girls to work on and challenged them to do Virtue value experience #3 in their Personal Progress books.  I told them if they filled out the handout and did the value experience I would have a prize for both accomplishments.  

We saw these elk near the Hunsaker's after church today.  There were several cows and 12 calves.  No bulls according to James.  I was the first one to see them.

Sheri spent the afternoon watching Harry Potter movies. She did make us some delicious BBQ pork for dinner.  We played Hearts and she ran them.  We had FHE.  The title was: Don't Get Mixed Up.  James was in charge of the object demo that went with this lesson.

Greg Hatch's family posted this picture from

Newport Beach, California

Saturday, July 12, 2014

"The essential doctrine of uniting families came forth line upon line and precept upon precept.  Vicarious ordinances are at the heart of welding together eternal families, connecting roots to branches."

-Elder Quentin L. Cook

 Scenic Drive

This first thing James wanted to do this morning was read from our book Blackmoore outside on the porch.

 One of our favorite things to do.

 Another favorite thing to do is watch the clouds roll in.

After reading I made a trip into town to get some ribs to fix for dinner.  Sheri and Ian are coming up and Ian loves ribs.  So does Alex.  I got both beef and pork and I am trying a recipe I got from LDS Living magazine.  I put the rub on the three racks of ribs and put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  I then made some BBQ sauce and let it simmer on the stove for a couple of hours.  Onions is one of the ingredients for the sauce.  James was nice enough to chop them for me.  I brought Little Caesar's home for the boys for lunch.

James, Max, Joshua, and Evan took a Razr ride up on the mountain to Gillespie Flat. 

Love my Razr

 I was sad when I saw the burned trees.  We got stopped by a women forest ranger informing us that the kids needed helmets on.  Well that's a new rule or at least we've never been told that before. 

Ben, Max, Evan and Joshua played Hedbanz.  It's a fun game.

The ribs went in the oven for 3 hours at 300 degrees.  When Ian and Sheri and Alex got here we had them for dinner.  They were delicious but could have been a little more tender.  Next time I am going to cook them longer at a lower temperature.  We broiled them with the sauce on instead of using the grill because it was raining outside.  

James was so nice to clean the kitchen.  I helped a little.

 Not sure if this is the moon or the sun,
but I'm thinking now that it's the sun.

Friday, July 11, 2014

"Once any of us conclude: 'That's just the way I am,' we give up our ability to change."

-Elder Donald L. Hallstrom

Ireland

I was ready to leave for town by 9:40 this morning.  I get a text from Sheri who is on her way up with Christy Wanlass asking me if I could pick up Ian (Wanlass) and Ben from football camp in Show Low.  I guess everyone else left early and the coaches wife is waiting for someone to pick them up.  I was happy to oblige.

 Football camp was held at the Nikolaus

Homestead School in Show low.

I picked up a few things at Walmart and then Ben, Ian, and I met Christy, Sheri, Max, Evan, Megan and Brayden at Pizza Hut in Show Low.  Afterwards Christy had to take Brayden to McDonald's because he didn't get enough to eat at Pizza Hut.  

Ben, Evan and Max ride with me to the cabin and the rest follow in Christy's Suburban.  There are dark clouds hanging over Vernon.  this is the first time Megan has been to the cabin and she was quite impressed.  Ben gives Razr rides, but Brayden is not happy.

Brayden is not a happy camper.

The only time it really rained today was when I took Ben, Max, Megan and Ian to Buckelew Springs to see if the falls were running.  They weren't, but we got wet with raining spraying in our face all the way back to the cabin.

Christy, Sheri, Megan, Ian and Brayden leave to go home.  Ben, Max, and Evan stay here with me.  Sheri, Ian, and Alex are coming up tomorrow afternoon and staying until Tuesday.  

I fixed macaroni and cheese and hotdogs for dinner.  After dinner James and Joshua arrive and the boys all play Bionicles together.  They all insist on sleeping with Ben in Darrel and Trina's room.  Ben loves the new bed in there.  

James brought bean burros and a mixed green burro from Burger House.  He told me he had some interesting conversations with Joshua on the way up.  Joshua said: "I can't lie anymore because my dad gave me a priesthood blessing." And one more Joshuaism:
"Grandpa remember last year when you had your broken leg and you gave me a ride on the Razr.  I thought, "Man this old guy has a broken leg but he can really drive fast."

Thursday, July 10, 2014

"There exists today a great need for men and women to cultivate respect for each other across wide distances of belief and behavior and across deep canyons of conflicting agendas."

-Elder W. Craig Zwick

It was 59 degrees when I got up this morning.  I love sleeping with the windows open!  Two bunnies, one chasing the other, were playing outside the dining room window as I did my morning study.  

Max and Evan finally got to meet Lola.

Max loves babies!

Precious baby girl!

I cleaned upstairs today and found Ruby's 

pink elephant Peanut.

Trina says Ruby has been worried about Peanut

and that she will be so happy.

Just as I was leaving to go visiting teaching around 3:30

there was a downpour of rain.  I took pictures of some of the

runoff from the mountain on ACR3261.

This is why we did the sandbags.

By the time I got to Rosa Westbrook's at 4pm the rain had 

stopped.  I met my partner Rosie Lauritzen and we had a nice

visit with Rosa.  July 2nd was her birthday so I brought her a gift.

Rosa always gives us a report on her daughter Sadie who is serving a mission in Mexico.  Sadie has been promoted to a leadership position and on the funny side she was served ants to eat at a members home.  She said she ate one.  Luckily there were other things to eat too so she didn't go hungry.  

Linda Diewald was supposed to be our next visit but she had to cancel so we went to see Barbie Shumacher.  Barbie always has lemon water prepared for us to drink.  Her three dogs had to greet us and then they went outside to enjoy the nice weather.  I always smells so good after it rains!  

This evening I finally caught up on So You Think You Can Dance.  I pretty much like all of the contestants this year, even the tappers.  Stacy said Joshua just sobbed when he thought he wasn't going to get to come up this weekend.  She was supposed to come today but for some reason she changed her mind.  The reason he wants to come this week is because the Trezise boys will be here and he loves Max and Evan.  I told her to have him come with dad because she didn't want to ask Sheri.  It's all set, he's coming with James.

I got a call from Randa Covert asking me if I would teach the young women's lesson for her on Sunday because she has an exam to study for.  It's on the importance of temple ordinances.  

I finished the Continuous Conversion book by Brad Wilcox and I'm ready to start the Continuous Atonement.  

I love my new purple earbuds!