Thursday, January 1, 2015

 This guy was perched in our tree this morning.  After he left a red tail hawk came and landed in the same spot.

It was a beautiful winter wonderland outside when we got up this morning.  We had about 5" of snow.

  We were a little worried about Kim and Brian coming up but they made it just fine.  They stopped to take some pictures of the snow on the desert.

The boys and Ian had fun playing in the snow.  First they made a snowman, or snowwoman, whichever you prefer.  

Evan named him Mr. Smiley

I renamed "her" Mrs. Smiley

Evan, ready to go sledding

Evan and Max tied to the back of the Razr

And away they go!

A little scary, as there are big rocks out there.

They did have a great time though!

James made a trip to Walmart to get his hunting license.  He forgot two things: 1) the Swiss Miss hot chocolate that I asked him to get and 2) Sheri's Polar Pop from Circle K.  He was in trouble for awhile.

I played three games of Five Crowns and won two out of five.  I lost when I played Sheri and Ben, won when I played Sheri and Max, and won when I played Sheri and Kim.  

We watched more Christmas movies and The Mentalist.  We also had a little celebration for Kim's birthday.  I made here a Texas sheetcake.

I am feeling overwhelmed, unorganized and a little discouraged, inspite of my good company.

  I still have my cough so Diana said she would teach on Sunday for me.

James and I issued a Book of Mormon challenge to our children and grandchildren.  Anyone who read the Book of Mormon by April 5th, Easter, will earn $50.  That's reading about 5 1/2 pages a day.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy Birthday Kim!

Kim usually spends her birthday at the cabin but this year Brian got tickets for them to go see Brian Regan, so they won't be coming up until tomorrow and we will celebrate then.

We love you Kim!

Brian Regan show

James fixed a nice breakfast for Darrel this morning but Darrel tricked us and left early.  Luckily there were people here to eat the food.  Goodbye Darrel, see you next year.

After breakfast James went on a hike near elk hill and saw 80 head of elk.  It was a good way to start his day.  When he got home he went out to chop some firewood.  Evan put on his coonskin cap and went with him.  James chopped and Evan loaded the chopped wood into the back of the Razor.  Evan never stopped and he said to grandpa: "I feel sorry for my brothers just laying around in the house watching TV while I'm out here having all this fun."  Not only did he have fun, but also earned $5.

Evan in his coonskin cap

Sheri and I made a trip to town to Circle K and Walmart.  It was cold and windy.  It is raining in Chandler and there is snow in north Scottsdale and on the desert.  

It snowed this afternoon.  We stayed inside and watched movies and played games.  Sheri and I watched "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" and "Christmas on the Bayou."  Ian, Alex, Ben, and Max sat in front of the fire and played "Magic".

This could be a game of Yahtzee.

That's Evan's hat on the table, not a dead animal.

James, Sheri and I watched the movie Kim gave me for Christmas, "The 100 Foot Journey".  We loved it.  After the movie Sheri and I went into the kitchen and heated up all the appetizers we could for our New Year's Eve celebration.  James and I were supposed to go to the DeWitt's for a party but I still have a cough and didn't want to go out in the cold.

After "dinner" James watched the move 'Lincoln' and then we went to bed.  Ian stayed up and did his own fireworks show. 

Christmas cards

 Patrick and Heather's boys

Curtis and Hillary's girls

Jared & Diana and kids

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

"Each of our temples is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and as certain as is our life here on earth."

-President Thomas S. Monson

I did get up and fix breakfast for Darrel this morning.  I caught up on my scripture reading.  I have to finish the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament by tomorrow night.  

I went to town today to pick up the steroid prescription Dr. Caldron's office called in for me.  While there I also went to the bank, and got gas.  It was windy and cold.

James came home from the valley today.  We watched one of our favorite shows, "The Mentalist", before Sheri and Ian's family arrived.  We are so happy to have them here for a few days.  

Evan had a very loose tooth and he was brave enough to allow grandpa to pull it for him.  Afterwards, they spent a little time playing together.

Trying out the squish sand.

 sand pie?

These two make a good team!

Darrel's last night here for awhile. James brought a burro from Burger House for him.  He was so hungry when he got home at 10:40 pm and was grateful to have something to eat.

 

Monday, December 29, 2014

"I felt a supreme joy, difficult to describe and impossible to forget.  The spirit of Christmas had filled my soul."

-Pres. Thomas S. Monson

I missed fixing breakfast for Darrel this morning because I was either too sick or too lazy.  

James left for the valley this morning.  It was a "down" day for me.  I watched more Christmas movies: "Moonlight and Mistletoe", "Our First Christmas", "Eve's Christmas", and "Christmas Town".

The one thing I did do today was call Dr. Caldron's office and ask for something to help me manage my pain.  They called me in a prescription which I will need to pick up tomorrow.  

I slept in the recliner tonight so I wouldn't spend the entire night coughing.  

Christmas cards and Facebook finds:

 Aaron and Kari's family

 Drea, Benjamin and Jason

The Case family

The Lemmerman's

The Chubbs' family

More postings tomorrow!

 

Sunday, December 28, 2014

"We cannot compel, coerce, or command the Holy Ghost.  Rather, we should invite Him into our lives with the same gentleness and tenderness by which He entreats us."

-Elder David A. Bednar

Anna and I were both sick today and missed our church meetings.  James spoke in the Country Club Manor ward with Jimmy Applegate.  He had a touch of laringitis but that didn't stop him.  

I put a roast on early this morning so when everyone got home we had a nice meal.  Even with a nice meal, some people only ate corn and rolls.  

When I asked Molly if she liked her Primary teacher she said yes, but she was hard to understand.  When she said: "It was one of your friends Gramma, I knew it was Rosa W.

We said goodbye to Jared and his family today who headed home to El Paso.  This was a memorable Christmas for us and we are so glad they were able to spend it with us.  

 James and Molly

 James and Anna

I love this picture!

 Beautiful Emmy

Molly, where is your smile?

 Three beautiful girls!

 I love these faces!

Darrel was not supposed to be back up here to work until Tuesday and Trina and the kids were coming back with him.  There was a change of plans.  The other pharmacist is sick so Darrel came back today to work for him.  He will be going home Tuesday and Trina and the kids won't be coming up.  We are glad to have Darrel come and stay with us but we are sad Trina and the kids won't be coming.

This was Darrel's last time working up here.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Grandmother Lambson and

Erik and Amelia's baby, Tabitha Rose.

Stacy, Paul, Michael and Joshua came up for the

day to visit with Jared and his family.  Here they are playing Headbanz.

Jared tried to find family history names for Paul but it's difficult because his relatives are from Mexico.  

ASU played Duke in the Sun Bowl today in ElPaso.  How ironic that Jared is here.  It's kind of a tradition for Paul and Michael to have wings when they watch important football games so they went to Native New Yorker in Show Low and took James with them.  

It was a good game because ASU ended up winning.  

For dinner we cooked the Omaha steaks and hamburgers that Dawn gave us for Christmas.  After dinner Stacy and Paul and the boys headed for home.  They were going to stay another night but Stacy wasn't feeling well and wanted to go home.  I guess when they got there Adam wasn't expecting them and he had a room full of people playing video games in the family room.  They pretty much scattered and left with Paul's arrival.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Evan reading from the joke book that we got him for Christmas.

Ian enjoying the blanket that we gave him.

Anna was sick today with a fever, so now there is two of us.  

Darrel and Trina and their kids went home today.  We had to take some pictures before they left. 

This girl is as sweet as she is cute.

 I love this picture of Rowan!

Molly is going to miss Ruby!

 Trina and sweet baby Lola

 I love this family!

 Anna and Emmy saying goodbye to Lola

 After Ruby left Molly sat down and

watched a movie.  The one she chose:

Nacho Libre.

James using his mini ipad while Rowan watches.

Addy is learning how to use her iphone6.

Jared and all of his kids except Anna went into town today to get a blu-ray player and something to eat.   They went to LaCasita and brought me back a chicken enchilada.  Yum!

While they were gone Anna watched old episodes of "Castle" and I cleaned.  

Here is the list of elf names we found and I used to put on some of the gifts I wrapped.  Kids had to know their elf name in order to know which gifts were theirs.