Wednesday, October 15, 2014

I love this!

I had breakfast with Darrel this morning and he told me about their trip home last Friday night.  There was a wreck near Rye and some guy said he knew a shortcut so Darrel and Trina both followed him off the highway onto a dirt road.  It turned out to be a nightmare.  Darrel got his rental car stuck twice and Trina and Addy were both crying. After waiting on the highway for over an hour and then taking this "shortcut" which took 1 1/2 hours to go three miles, they didn't get home until 1:30am.  

  This is the playhouse I want James to build up here.  We might even make it a little guest house for the kids.

 I got more of Kathy Crane's jalapeno jelly.  I guess you

could say we now have our year's supply.

 It's driving me crazy that I can't chase these cows away.

They are really taking advantage of the Razr being 

out of commission.

Alice Wilhelm took this picture from my car on the way to

Show Low this evening.  We stopped at Maverick and got treats and gas and then went on to Snowflake to the corn maze.

Diana and Arlee McNeil and I were the only leaders and we stuck together in the maze.  Without Arlee I'm not sure Diana and I would have made it out.  He had a better since of direction than we did because he could see over the top of the corn.  I tried to take a picture but it was a little too dark.

 I paid money to get lost in a cornfield.

 Alice, Trenda, Shelly, Kyah, and Jordyn

LeeAnn and Kilee rode with Makenzi and they

all went to eat at El Cupido's instead of going 

through the maze.

Jace and Ty, Spencer and Noah and Talon were the young men who went.  All I can say is Ty and Kyah make a very cute twosome!

James was home when I got back.  He came home for his doctor's appointment tomorrow and brought burros with him.  

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Today I am posting trees and flowers.

"In the blink of an eye, everything can change.

So forgive often and love with all your heart.

You never know when you may not have

that chance again."

James left for the valley this morning.  He still has laringitis.  He needs a cortizone shot but I don't think Dr. Moffat will give him one.  He tried to make an appointment with Dr. Wilson in Chandler but he's filled up for two weeks so I made him one with Dr. Lesuer up here on Thursday.  Dr. Lesuer is Trina's brother-in-law's brother.

 People are posting flowers on Facebook.

I will be posting a few of my favorites on here.

The cows are back and I can't chase them because the Razr is out of engine oil until James gets back.  It's like they are taunting me.

This one is called a bat flower.  I love it because it

is so unique.

Today I did a little cleaning and paid some bills.  I listened to "The Voice" while working on my computer.  I also cleaned out the refrigerator and made dinner for Darrel.

This one is a magnolia.  There are 

lots of different kinds of magnolias.

Castle was weird.  An invisibility suit, really?  This is crazy but I think James left the water running outside because I can hear it in some part of the house.  I will have to check tomorrow.

I think this was taken in Greer.

  

 

Monday, October 13, 2014

"Brothers and sisters, indeed we have great reason to rejoice.

If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time

to refocus on what matters most."

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Happy Birthday to Kevin

 43 years old today.

James and I went on a Razr ride to the top of Green's Peak to take pictures of the fall leaves.  

 On the way home we were excited because we saw seven deer.  Little did we know what awaited us when we got home.

James took these pictures from our backporch.  He was out there for about an hour and the elk would have stayed longer if I hadn't shut the backdoor and scared them away.

What a fun day for pictures!  This is one of the reasons we love living here.  

For dinner we drove into town to Aliberto's because I felt like mexican food.  We watched two episodes of Castle together but I made the mistake of watching DWTS instead of doing something with James.  I won't make that mistake again.

 

Sunday, October 12, 2014

In preparation for my lesson this morning I read two articles that really touched me.  The first one: "The Way to Christlike Love" by Brother Allen Bergin.  This article was in an Ensign from 1982.  The other: "The Merciful Obtain Mercy" by President Uchtdorf from a conference address given in 2012.  Here is a quote from Brother Bergen's talk:

 "Jesus Christ taught that his capacity to love and to redeem the human race depended first on a harmonious relationship with his Father.  It was as though this relationship was essential for gaining the capacity to redeem and bless the rest of humanity.  The Lord revealed that his perfected relationship with the Father consisted of two ingredients: love and obedience (see John 17).  When combined and harmonized, these appeared to produce an alloy stronger than either ingredient alone.  They seemed to be the keys by which Father and Son became perfectly united.  The question struck me: Did the Savior obtain his power to love completely, and thus to redeem us, by virtue of submission to his Father, a submission that was loving and voluntary?  Do we likewise gain the capacity to love and participate in the redemptive process as we voluntarily and lovingly submit ourselves to the will of the Savior and our Father?  It seems that this is exactly what the Lord taught.  OUr unity with them is a result of obedience and love; and this oneness with a higher power in turn enables us to love more effectively and become one with each other."

This talk is amazing and this quote is only a sampling!

From President Uchtdorf's talk:

"When we feel hurt, angry, or envious, it is quite easy to judge other people, often assigning dark motives to their actions in order to justify our own feelings of resentment.  Of course, we know this is wrong.  The doctrine is clear.  We all depend on the Savior; none of us can be saved without Him.  Christ's Atonement is infinite and eternal.  Forgiveness for our sins comes with conditions.  We must repent, and we must be willing to forgive others.  Jesus taught: 'Forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not...stands condemned before the Lord; for there remained in him the greater sin' and 'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.'"

My handouts:

Tyler Hunsaker and the Chafin's were the speaker's in sacrament meeting.  The Chafin's spoke about their handicapped grandson Braylin and what a blessing he is in their lives.  Kim, Brian, Joseph, and Alex left after sacrament meeting.  

This afternoon we played Five Crowns while football was on TV.  Normally James and I do not watch TV on Sunday or play games.  

Before Kim and Brian left I had to take a picture.  We will see them again at Thanksgiving time.

So long, farewell!

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Kim and Brian made a delicious breakfast this morning. Biscuits, gravy, and potatoes, eggs and green chilies.  Oh yes, and bacon.

Kim and Joe made our favorite pumpkin dessert.  It was gone by the end of the day.

 Pumpkin delight!

Alex challenged Joe to the match game.

 Alex is still the reigning champ.

Kim and Brian went for a ride up the mountain and took these pictures:

 

 Beautiful!

James, ready to shoot some elk.

The other day James ran into someone at the post office and knocked out his tail light.  Today we went into town so he could get a new one.  It rained a little in Show Low.  I missed Leland Nickolaus's funeral today.  He was almost 98 years old.  I used to visit with him and shop in his store as a teenager in Show Low.

Brian cooked burgers for dinner.  James and I had already eaten while we were in town.

We enjoyed playing Five Crowns, and Kim, Brian, Joe, and Alex played Hearts.  I worked on my lesson and James and I read and watched Sue Thomas.  All in all in was a good day.

In other news

Terry & Cathi are in Saguache, Colorado,

Cathi's hometown.  Terry helped judge the fourth annual

chocolate contest.

 The state fair.

When I was young I remember going to

the fair with my mom and brothers every year.

 

 

Friday, October 10, 2014

"This is a wonderful time to be on earth.  While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good.  There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach.  Our lives are blessed in countless ways."

-President Thomas S. Monson

I got up this morning and made bacon and eggs for Darrel.  I hadn't seen him since Tuesday and I knew he was going home today.  

Brian and Kim made pumpkin bread and it was gone within five minutes.  I made some pumpkin bars with cheesecake frosting that James loved. Definitely a pumpkin theme going this weekend.

Kim played the match game with Ruby and Addy and Ruby won.  She definitely has a knack for this game.

Ruby is the Frozen match game queen!

A crowd gathers to watch her in action.

Kim is so much fun.  She played hide and go seek with the kids.  Rowan hid under the kitchen sink and Ruby left her spot to go to the bathroom so it took a long time to find her.  

James took the kids on a Razr ride to look for elk.

I love these kids!

Kim and I watched Lola while Trina vacuumed and packed to go home.  She loved the little lamb Trina bought her last night and wanted to grab it but kept grabbing her hands instead.

Love this baby!

Addy got to finish her puzzle!

Beautiful!

Kim gave Addy a Hermoine wand,

scarf, and robe for Halloween.

Addy didn't need the glasses so Ruby took them.

The dining room table is where most of the game

playing and eating takes place.

Brian went and got gas for the Razr so they could take a ride on the mountain to see the fall leaves.  

I couldn't resist posting this picture of

Joe with Ben and Max a year or so ago.

Such handsome boys!

Ruby and Rowan had a great time playing with Alex.

Kim is a favorite with all the kids.

I love this picture!

Trina and the kids left for Show Low around 5 to meet Darrel

and go home.  Ruby was not ready to go.

Grandpa had to comfort her.

 

We will definitely miss these faces!

James and I left for town around the same time.  We went to two banks, Walmart, and then Sonic.  I am addicted to their cheeseburgers and James likes the New York dog.