Tuesday, December 16, 2014

So proud of this boy who turns 15 today.

Happy Birthday Ben!
Grandpa took Ben to Panda Express, Ben's choice, for dinner.
Ben asked if he could bring a friend.  He chose Max.  

 "It is worth every price we must pay to be able to enter and involve ourselves in the blessings of the House of the Lord,"

-Colleen W. Asay

I was up at 4am today but at 7am I needed a nap.  

I blogged about our trip to California.  It took me a good two hours!  I also made a pot of chalupa.  The house smells great!

This afternoon Randa and I went visiting teaching to Mary Swift and Joyce Malone.  The handout looked like this and was attached to a bag of Dove chocolates.  I also gave everyone warm socks!

Today was a beautiful sunny day with the high around 55 degrees.  There is not much snow left.

I set up a table in my bedroom in front of the TV for gift wrapping.  Ironically one of the Christmas movies I watched today was "Love at the Christmas Table."

I hope Darrel enjoyed the chalupa as much as I did smelling it! Chalupa always reminds me of my friend Jackie Hall.  We used to make it when we served in the RS presidency together when we had to do a dinner.  I got my recipe from Jackie.

  

Monday, December 15, 2014

"Christmas is also a time to ponder the gifts given to us by our Heavenly Family.  Heavenly Father gave us the gift of life the gift of the Creation, and then the gift that made it possible for us to become like Him and return to Him: His Son, Jesus Christ."

-Merrilee Boyack

It was 21 degrees this morning, but it is sunny, so the snow is melting.  I went visiting teaching to Julie Wilhelm this morning.  My partner Randa couldn't make it but Julie and I had a nice visit.  I shared the message that the Savior is the Prince of Peace, and she told me about her trip to Vegas to see Gary Allen, a country singer, and Dave Ramsey who is a money and sound advice guru.  

Afterwards I did errands.  I stopped at the post office and picked up Hogwarts Legos and the Christmas game, then on to the carwash, Sonice, the Book Barn, and Walmart.  On the way home I dropped off a Christmas gift to Diana Curtis.  

This afternoon I worked on my blog and paid bills while watching some Christmas movies.  

Darrel stayed here tonight.  I made some Kempton goulash for dinner because I know how much he loves it.

Jared Ammon graduated from ASU today.  We are all very proud of him.  His degree is in sports exercise and he is planning on getting his Masters.

He always was a studious guy!

 Jared and Blade

Jared Ammon and Sheri

 

James is in the valley.  He went to Joe's Christmas concert at Chandler High with Kim, Brian, Michael, Alex, and Brian's parents.  I was sorry to miss it but I have to be here for Mutual this week.

 I told Joe he can't grow any taller.

 

 

Sunday, December 14, 2014

"As we make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father in the temple, He promises us that we will be able to live with Him again."

-Janette Hales Beckham

 I love snow and sky pictures!

 Frosted trees.

John and Sandra Wilhelm and all eight of their kids are leaving for their trip to Florida today.  The Make-a-Wish Foundation is paying for a ten day trip to Disney World, Seaworld, and Univeral Studios because of Curtis's illness. He has cancer that is in remission right now. They get to stay in a place called "Give the Kids the World" and the only thing they have to pay for is their trip to the valley to board the plane.  They are so excited and I am excited for them.  For Curtis's birthday we gave him a blanket.  Sandra says he loves it and will be taking it on their trip.

James started putting up our Christmas tree today.

He is going to be gone all week so probably won't finish until next Sunday.

 James Hayden was an angel for their ward's Christmas party.

Tonight in Chandler everyone met at our house and decorated gingerbread house.  Some people played with Lola too.

 Michael, Joshua, and Lola

 Lola and Alex

 Ian and Lola with the same hairdo.

 Max being silly

The Trezise houses

 Paul working on the Gonzales house.

 It turned out great!

Addy's is my favorite!

 Kim & Brian's is so cute!

 Joe & Amanda

 One of the best years for gingerbread houses!

 

Saturday, December 13, 2014

The Young Women met at the church this meeting at 9am to decorate for the ward Christmas party this evening. I got the idea to make chocolate chip cookies about 8am.  James went down to the church with me when I left because we are assigned to clean this week and although the Crane's don't want to clean until after the ward party tonight James wanted to get a head start  We picked up Maddie Carrol who called and asked for a ride.

 Hope, Heaven, and Kelly decorated the bookshelves where

we normally put the hymnbooks.

They did a good job!

 Ruth making sure a centerpiece is centered.

Diana, Trenda, Stefani

Maddie, Kilee, and Kyah at the cookie basket.

We had a good turn out.  Brother McNeil

was there to help too.

 We have fun while we work.

Maddie, LeeAnn, Stefani, Kilee.

 James cleaning the chapel.

 Back at home we had our first fire in our new stove.

It keeps the great room, including the dining room very cozy.

 James's work area.

 My work area.  I couldn't help comparing.

 Before the snow.

 After the snow.

I made a large green bean casserole for the ward party.  The food was delicious: ham, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, salad, and lots of desserts.  We sat by the Miller's and Amy Reynolds.

Blaine & Diana Curtis

The news is that Winna Ulmer is back in the hospital, this time to have her gall bladder removed.  

We stayed and helped clean the church but left a little early because James has high council in the morning at 6.

James and I came home and watched "The Wishing Tree."

 

Friday, December 12, 2014

Sunrise in Vernon

"When we live righteously and have received the ordinances of the temple, everything else is in the hands of the Lord."

-Elder Richard G. Scott

James has a dilemma with the fireplace insert.  The trim they sent doesn't fit.  They finally agreed to give him a refund and he is going to get someone in the valley to make a template for him for a new trim piece.

I got a call from my friend Kay McClellan today.  She is getting a divorce.  It seems that John is not the nice guy we all thought he was.  He has some real issues and I feel so sorry for Kay that she can't find a decent guy.  She definitely does not want Bill to know.

 I talked to her for over an hour. 

Tonight James and I went to the stake PEC Christmas party in Show Low.  This year the food was good.  It was from Licano's but was cold.  We sat by Jim and Joe Brookbank.  It was nice to visit with people that I know.  

On the way home we stopped at Kmart and picked up Nerf guns and then on to Walmart to get my prescriptions.  Baby it's cold outside!

Christmas movies: "Angel on Pennsylvania Avenue", and "A Princess for Christmas".

So cute!

  Elder Stott, my favorite missionary who

served in Vernon.

 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

"Let us commit to give a most meaningful gift to the Lord.  Let us give Him our lives, our sacrifices.  Those who do so will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can."

-Ezra Taft Benson

We returned James's rental car this morning.  It's still foggy out there.  We also went to Walmart, National Bank, and to get gas.  I read to James from our last Sarah Eden book, "An Unlikely Match."  

James went to the post office for me and returned the purse I ordered and hated, and sent off Jared's Christmas card and Jared Ammon's graduation card.  

Addy's Hedwig and ipod arrived in Chandler today from the Embassy Suites in Anaheim.  

Kathy Crane gave us a delicious loaf of cinnamon bread today.  It is great toasted with butter.

James had a meeting tonight with the high priest group leadership in our ward. 

Addy, Rowan and Ruby had a Christmas program at their school this evening.  Their principal dressed up like Buddy the Elf.

Addy played the violin.

We watched "One Christmas Eve", and "A Town Without Christmas."