Saturday, August 9, 2014

"When we put God first, all

other things fall into their proper

place or drop out of our lives."

-President Ezra Taft Benson

Jared and his friend Richie got in very late last night.  Jared home teaches Richie who was just baptized in March.  He has been wanting to do baptisms for the dead but he can't go to the Juarez temple because he doesn't have a passport so Jared asked if they could come here and do baptisms.  It just so happens that our youth were scheduled to go today so Jared, James, Anna, Richie and I all left the house a little after 5am to meet our group at the church by 5:30. It was a neat experience for me to get to go to the temple with James, Anna, and Jared. Jared had several family names for Anna and James to do.  Richie was baptized for his great grandfather. Here are some pictures I took afterwards:

 Anna, James, and Richie

Richie is a very nice young man.  He is 22 and the only member of the church in his family.  I hope he decides that he wants to go on a mission.

Jordyn, Shelly and Trenda were the young women

who came from our ward.  Shelly disappeared so

Westin was happy to take her place

in this picture.

 Anna and Trenda had two things in common:

Their outfits and their love for Hunter Hayes.

 Vernon ward young men:

Ty Applegate, Lane Hall, Westin Hall,

Jackson Allen and Talon Wilhelm.

Jace Applegate was here too but he isn't in

this picture.

 James, Jared, and Anna

After the temple, as is our wards tradition, we went to El Cupido's for breakfast.  Jared, James and I had burros and Anna and Richie had burgers.  It was all good.

 This picture is a little blurry.

Molly didn't really lose a leg.  She and Emmy

stayed home with grandpa while we were at the temple.

I guess they had ice cream for breakfast.  Molly insists that

she had some cereal too.

Grandpa James was doing upkeep on the Razr when we got home.  James went out to help him. I told James I would take over so he could go on a family outing with his dad and sisters, and of course Richie. They went to Greer where James did a little fishing and the girls played in the water.

Anna looks like she might be cold.

Of course, no trip to Greer is complete without stopping for ice cream.

During the summer Sunrise ski run has all sorts of fun activities.   They all rode the tram and played on the slide.  It was fun but costly for dad.

 James and Emmy riding the tram.

 Anna and Emmy going down the slide.

 James on the slide.

 Molly's turn!

 Making faces.

 From the smiles on their faces I 

would say they had a good time.

Back at the cabin grandpa James and I read and relaxed.  When everyone arrived home they wanted to go on Razr rides.  James Hayden and I started cooking dinner.  James cooked chicken with lots of tasty seasonings while I made chicken, bacon, cheese and Ranch panini sandwiches.  They were quite good.  Some people preferred not to have the Ranch dressing but come up with their own sauces.  

This sunset was the perfecting ending to a great day.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Happy Birthday to Molly

who is 5 years old today!

We had a little celebration this morning for Molly.  She opened the rest of her gifts from us and we had donuts for breakfast.

 

Molly is finally up!

 It's a purse!

 Calico Critters!

 I told Molly that because it was her birthday she could decide who said all the prayers today.  She decided she wanted to say them all herself, so she did.  Emmy was extra nice to Molly today.  They watched part of Snow White and then played with Molly's Calico Critters.  They also played ball and after grandpa fixed the tire on the ranger Emmy and Grandpa took Molly for a ride.

While James was in town getting the tire fixed he stopped at the computer store and got me a new cord for my computer.  Thank goodness.  I was beginning to have withdrawals!

Anna asked James today if he would help her to learn to play the guitar.  I loved watching them.

Anna taking note at her guitar lesson.

Anna also finished the Princess puzzle today.

I forgot to mention that the other day when James was riding the Razr he said a bobcat ran in front of him and he saw a bunch of turkey's, about nine or ten.  James loves the out of doors almost as much as Alex and grandpa.

I made enchiladas for dinner and after dinner we had ice cream to continue Molly's birthday celebration!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Molly got ready for our trip into town this morning by taking a bath.

 Molly and her "Barbies".  

She had to wash all of their hair too.

I found out that Molly likes apples.  She wanted some M&M's and I told her she needed to eat an apple first.  I sliced it in several wedges and she ate them all and wanted more.  

We had lunch at Pizza Hut.  We all ordered the buffet.  Afterwards we went to Walmart to get some things for Molly's birthday tomorrow.  We got donuts for breakfast, some princess balloons and an Olaf balloon.  The Olaf balloon made Molly happy.  She kept calling him her boyfriend.

Molly's boyfriend.

He makes her smile.

Since we couldn't ride the Razr today we had to find some other things to do.  

 We colored.

 Emmy gave Molly a piggyback ride.

Speaking of piggies:

  Molly and I took a nap.

I didn't take a picture so this one will have to do.

 The girls played with the Barbie's and the new Barbie clothes that grandmother Lambson made for them.

 Anna is the official Barbie hairdresser.

Grandpa James surprised us today by coming home from the valley.  We were all happy to see him.  I was sad that he forgot the cord to my computer because I haven't been able to use it since Monday.

 

I was excited to see that the official announcement for the open house of the Phoenix temple has been announced.

The open house will begin in October of this year.

 Tonight was Molly's dinner.  We had burgers, hot dogs, and at her request, macaroni and cheese.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

"In the Garden of Gethsemane, in utter loneliness, the Savior suffered the most intense agony, bleeding from every pore.  In total submission before His Father, He atoned for our sins and also took upon Him our illnesses and afflictions in order to know how to succor us." (see Alma 7:11-13)

- Elder Carlos H. Amado

 This morning's sunrise.

It was Rhode's cinnamon rolls for breakfast this morning and I must say they were a big hit.  

Molly and Emmy played nicely together for awhile at least, this morning.  They went with me on the Razr to mail a letter and to pick up the mail. Emmy got to do some of the driving.

Emmy loves to drive the Razr!

  We left Anna doing the Disney Princess puzzle.

 James took a break from watching his military documentary to play the guitar.  He is really quite good. He shared with me how when he's an adult he wants to travel around the world and take pictures and maybe write some stories. 

Emmy had either a ball in her hands or was playing with James's old walker which she now claims as hers, while she was here.

  Molly loves the walker too but she has to get permission from Emmy to use it.  Molly and I watched Sleeping Beauty and Molly fell asleep. 

James went on quite a long Razr ride up towards the Village.  When he returned Anna, Emmy and Molly went for a ride but had to come back early because of a flat tire.  The consensus is that the tire was probably flattened on the road where James went because it is filled with rocks and ruts.  

Today was the day I made Anna's dinner idea which was homemade chicken noodle soup.  As soon as I was finished I had to leave for a 5:30 class presidency meeting and then Mutual.  I gave a lesson on the importance of unity in our class presidency meeting.  For Mutual we had a Remember Camp celebration and then we wrote thank you notes to all who helped with camp.  Ruth and Diana made smores for everyone. 

Today was the first day of school for Addy, Rowan and Ruby.  Addy is a 5th grader, Rowan a 2nd grader, and Ruby starts kindergarten.

I love that Ruby and Addy match!

 Ruby insisted on riding the bus to school.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

"We cannot do the difficult things we have been asked to do without help.  Help comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the guidance of the Holy Ghost, and the helping hands of others."

-Sister Linda K. Burton

 Elk moving across our yard.

Jared has a problem with his eye.  It's called an orbital pseudo tumor.  As I understand it, the doctors aren't sure what to do about it.  Right now he is on steroids.  Sometimes it causes him to have double vision.  

Before leaving to go back to El Paso Jared took the kids to the pit and the swing on the Razr.

James, Anna, and Emmy were all drivers this year.

Molly likes to ride shotgun but I guess it was James's turn.

Before Jared left for home I made Pawhuska (the Pioneer Woman's hometown) Cheesesteaks for lunch.  He took one for the road.

This afternoon the kids all went to the Boy Scout village.  Anna wanted to clean out one of the A-frames and use it just to "hang out" in.  When I texted grandpa to tell him his comment was: "That rat infest place?"  The kids were back within the hour.  I guess Anna picked up some debris to through it out and a rat jumped down and ran away.  Needless to say this place is no longer very desirable.

No, this isn't a rat.  It's a chinchilla named Roxy who just so happens to love Alexander.

 We had chocolate eclairs for a snack today.  Molly licked all the

chocolate off of hers and then asked me if I wanted it.

I didn't.

Before closing I want to post some more picture from our FHE on Sunday evening.  These are some pictures that Kim sent me.  If I wasn't so lazy I would go back and post them on Sunday.  Oh well.

Happy, worried and asleep.

Molly striking a pose with a look of

mischief in her eyes.

  Cousins James and Ben

got to spend a little time catching up.

 The Three Amigos

I wonder where Sheri learned this trick.

Yes, that's Adam in the background.

Oh yes, now I remember, it's a grandpa trick.

Anna really enjoyed Lola and her uncle Brian.

These two boys are very talented.