Saturday, July 19, 2014

And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.

-Mosiah 18:13

 Today's sunrise

For breakfast I made a loaf of banana nut bread.  James loved it and told me that banana nut bread is his favorite sweet.  He may have enjoyed it too much because later he got quite a headache.

He left to go to town around 9am.  He went to get a new tire and wheel for his trailer, and a thermo-cuplar for the downstairs hot water heater.  On the way up here Thursday evening at one point the trailer James was pulling began to swerve and he had a difficult time getting it under control.  He didn't realize he had a flat tire and consequently he ruined the tire and the wheel.  

James also stopped at LaCasita and brought me home my favorite meal: green chili chicken enchilada and refried beans and their wonderful chips and salsa.  I just can't get enough!

Bad news.  James spent over an hour installing the new thermo-cuplar and the water heater still does not work.  Our only choice is to call a repairman who won't be able to come until next Friday when James returns.  Darrel & Trina are coming tonight and we will only have hot water in one shower.  

James is so frustrated with the water heater that he goes outside for some tractor therapy.  He makes a huge pile of branches and brush to burn.

I think this is a Bobcat, not a tractor.

 While I was outside taking this picture of James I noticed how beautiful the clouds in the sky were.

You would think with all of these clouds that we would have gotten some rain, but it wasn't meant to be.  As you can see it rained quite hard on Sierra Mentosa, but never got to us.

As we were reading on the porch in the early evening from our book Blackmoore, we heard a car drive up and thought it was Darrel and his family.  It was the missionaries, Elder Stott and Elder Knight.  They came to issue us a challenge.  They want us to look through our Facebook friends and find someone whose name we can give to them or use as a referral.  I told them I would do it and I think James will too.

Darrel and Trina and the kids arrived right after the elders left.  I got to hold Lola!

What a sweet baby!

 Addy and I started this puzzle.

We got the edge pieces put together.

Friday, July 18, 2014

I love this quote so I'm using it as my thought for the day.

It's always nice to have James home.  He went down this morning and tried to light the hot water heater but it wouldn't stay lit so I went upstairs to take a shower.  

James's main focus today was to get the bill ready for Hatch Hanger so we can collect some money.  It took most of the day.  He got it emailed late in the day which probably means we won't get paid until next week.  

James went downstairs this afternoon and tore out the drywall in the hot water heater room ceiling where the paint was bubbled up to try and find the leak but he didn't have any luck.  There is no leaking in our bathtub or shower.  Now he thinks maybe the water came in when it rained.  Why is it so difficult to solve this problem.  He also thinks the hot water heater is totally unrelated to the leak.  I don't know what to think.  We also found more water in the years supply room closet.  We had to pull up the carpet and put a fan and a heater to dry everything out.  Also James said he vacuumed a ton of water out of the pad.  There was also some water in the closet off the downstairs bathroom.  I cleaned out all the wet boxes and threw them outside.  Later James took them out to burn them along with some brush he was burning.

James made us steak and broccoli for lunch using the leftovers in our refrigerator.  We sat out on the porch and read from Blackmore and watched the clouds build up and the hummingbirds fight over the feeder.

Sheri called this afternoon.  The side fence of their backyard came down today.  The surveyors will pay to build her a new one.  Someone is building next to them and discovered the fence was actually on their property.  How sad.

This sounds much worse than our fire.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

"Inasmuch as the trend in society today is rapidly moving away from the values and principles the Lord has given us, we will almost certainly be called upon to defend that which we believe.  Will we have the courage to do so?"

-President Thomas S. Monson

James crew poured again around 1:30 this morning at
the Chandler Airport on the Hatch Hanger job.

Joshua and I took Stacy on a Razr ride today.  Joshua has on his new helmet.  We took the 61 up to Christmas Tree Trail and then headed back down the mountain on the 404.  They are already starting to clear out trees that burned close to the road.  One of the things Stacy wanted to see while she was here was an elk.  She told Joshua how whenever we came to the mountains her dad (grandpa) would always have the kids look for elk and deer and would offer them a prize if they found any.  Sadly an elk ran across the road in front of us about 50 yards away and she missed it.  She was so disappointed.  She also wanted to see some clouds and she wasn't disappointed!

 Sometimes the clouds seen so close you

almost think you could reach out and touch them.

After our ride Stacy came home and took a nap. 

While Stacy was sleeping Joshua and I took pictures of some of the things he enjoyed doing while he was here.  He played Hedbanz with the Trezise boys and then again with his mom.

Max, Evan and Joshua played a game where they took one of the balloons from Boom, Boom, Balloon and dropped it from upstairs and then they tried to run downstairs and catch it before it touched the ground.

This time Joshua isn't running, he's just watching the balloon fall.

 I guess Joshua isn't going to make it to meet the teacher which starts at 4.  He has the same teacher as last year so he will be fine.

Stacy and Joshua followed me into Show Low on their way home and we stopped at LaCasita for lunch.  I had my usual,  chicken enchilada with green sauce and refried beans.  

 Stacy and Paul are keeping Tara's car.  She has gotten married and

moved to London.  

I am glad Stacy got to come up.  She hasn't been here for 3 years.  I think she had a good time although she was here less than 24 hours.  I know I enjoyed having her here.

On my way back home a truck was going too fast on the dirt road and flipped a rock on my windshield and left a crack.  I am so sad.  Poor Lexy.

In other news the Crane's killed a rattlesnake in their garden today.  I guess we need to be more careful when we go outside, especially when the grand kids are here.

I watched the top 18 perform on So You Think You Can Dance.  I liked Jacque and Zack's hiphop and Emilio and Bridget's dance to "Happy" which was choreographed by Anya and Pasha.

James got home around 9:30.  He was pulling a tractor up so it was slow going.  We watched Rizzoli & Isles and decided we weren't going to tape it anymore because it's too liberal and a little bloody and violent.

Only one shower in our house works right now.

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.