Thursday, February 5, 2015

I learned to love the Book of Mormon after this prophet of God challenged us to read from it everyday.  I will be eternally grateful.

 

"There is a power in the Book of Mormon which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book  Yu will find greater power to resist temptation.  You will find the power to avoid deception.  You will find the power to stay on the stait and narrow path  The scriptures are called 'the words of life'(see D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon.  When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance."

-President Ezra Taft Benson

 

Sheri and Paul both went on the Hancock School second grade fieldtrip to the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix.  Paul went with Joshua and Sheri with Evan.

 





It was a beautiful day for a fieldtrip!

 

While Sheri, Evan, Paul, and Joshua were enjoying this fieldtrip in the beautiful botanical gardens, I was stuck at home trying to get Office 365 installed on my computer so we could open some documents James needed for Hatch Hanger.  I was on the phone with techs, etc. for five hours, from 9am to 1pm.  I was mentally exhausted when I was finished.

 

While I was working on the computer, James was painting the ceiling in Joshua's room.  The new finish looks so much better than the old acoustical, 'popcorn', finish. 

 

Seth and Alex worked in the yard this afternoon.  We have lots of weeds from the rain so they treated it with Weed and Feed and watered it.  James has them helping him fix the sprinkler system too. 

 

I did a little shopping this afternoon.  I went to Hobby Lobby and Barnes & Nobles to get a puzzle for Stacy for her birthday. I also got a puzzle for Kim and one for Sheri.  I went to the Dollar Store to look for the "bubbles" Anna likes, but they were out.  I did end up getting some good birthday cards though. 

 

Kevin is here visiting with his family from California.  He went to Bob Bogle's funeral.  He and Sophia and Lily came over for a visit this afternoon.  He says Sophie is an angel and Lily is a little devil.  At one point Lily grabbed several pieces of the puzzle Stacy was working on.  When Kevin told her, "No!"  she turned to him and said: "LEAVE ALONE ME!"





Kevin's children: Lily, Bremen, and Sophie

 

James and I had dinner at Jason's Deli.





Wednesday, February 4, 2015

 

Happy Birthday to my brother

Harold who turned 65 today.

He is a great guy and I love him very much.

Our sister-in-law, Denise, thinks he looks like Paul Newman

in this picture  I tend to agree, especially the blue eyes!

 

Today James and I attended Bob Bogle's funeral.  Sheri, Brian and Kim also attended.  We saw so many people who knew from the old Chandler 2nd ward and others we have know since then.  Here is a list:  Of course Betty Bogle and all of her children, Gail and Gordon Bueler, Martin and Suzanne Kempton, Carol Ray, Joann Solomon and her daughter Jolene Wellman, John and Judy Bergstron, Ruth and Janis Gale, Bob & Dianne Layton, Naomi Ellsworth, Ann Gale, Jerry Lamb, Claire Kaufman and her daughter Kristi Boyer, and Trudy Lamb.  Jerry Lamb told us he went to 33 funerals last year.  I guess that's what we have to look forward to. 

 

It was a very nice service and tribute to a wonderful family, church, and community man

 

 





 

 



 

After the funeral we met Brian, Kim, and Sheri at Fresche where Chelsea Elmer and Joe work.  Brian bought all of us a acai bowl.  It was our first.  Quite good.

 

When we got home James was still hungry.  Before we left this morning I put chicken fajitas in the crockpot.  We had them for lunch and they were delicious.

 

 

Next we read from "Flight of Fancy" and took a short nap. 

 

We spent some time working in Joshua's room cleaning and getting ready to paint. 

 

This evening I tried to type a Word document but could not find Word.  I decided I needed to buy Office 365.  I wanted to cry and went to bed unsuccessful.



Tuesday, February 3, 2015

I am so excited about using this manual as part of my personal study of the New Testament.  It came in the mail today!

Matthew 6:24

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will

hate the one, and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one, and

despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

 

I am also excited about reading this book with James:

I love the fact that he likes romance novels.

 

I paid bills today and made sandwiches for lunch.  I got a text from Vickie telling me about Jean Owens O'Dell.  I told her I already knew but thanked her for thinking of me. 

 

Alex and Seth are working for James right now.  They have been working in our yard and doing cleanup.  James had an opportunity to talk with Seth and now he says he is going on a mission.  That is good news!

 

Stacy posted this on Facebook today:

"Props to mom for giving our family the Book of Mormon challenge.  We are supposed to finish it by Easter but I started late so I am playing catch up.  Michael and Sheri have inspired me.  I love reading several chapters a day.  You get so much out of it.  So grateful for the gospel.  It is amazing the parallels from current society, especially the Tree of Life and the great ad spacious building.  What peace and protection we an receive against the adversary.  I want so much for my kids to cling to this.  Join the challenge:)"

 

Another funeral this week.  Tomorrow is Bob Bogle's, Friday is Jean Owens O'dell's and Saturday is Brother Singleton's from the Vernon ward.  I guess this is what we do when we get old, we go to funerals of our contemporaries.



 



Monday, February 2, 2015

 

Matthew 5:14-16

"Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let you light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

 

I love this quote by President Eyring in this month's First Presidency message I the Ensign:

"As we read, ponder, and pray over the word of God, we will come to love it.  The Lord puts it in our hearts.  As we feel that love, we will begin to love the Lord more and more.  With that will come the love for others that we need in order to strengthen those whom God puts in our path."

 

James worked on the ceiling in Joshua's room while I did laundry and worked on my blog.

 

James got cleaned up enough so we could run through Whataburger at lunch time.  He got a gift card for Christmas and one for his birthday to his favorite burger joint. 

 

After lunch I had a nap and then went shopping at Kohl's and Walmart.  This is what I got at Kohl's:



 

I love this purse!

 





Since my ears are no longer pierced

a necklace is about the only jewelry I wear.

 

Have I ever mentioned how talented James's family is.  His sister Connie made me these socks and sent them to me as a late Christmas gift.  They are made from Peruvian wool

 

I got a call from a friend from high school this evening, Paul Reynolds.  He was calling for Digger O'Dell, another high school friend to tell me that Digger's wife Jean, one of my best friends from high school had just passed away.  She found out a couple of weeks ago that she had cancer all throughout her body and now she is gone.  Her funeral will be on Friday in Pima and both James and I want to go.  Jean was James's vice president when he was student body president at Snowflake. Thinking of Jean brought back a whole flood of memories.  She was quite the character.  She used to do pantomime's to Ray Stevens songs: "Please Mr. Custer", "Harry the Harry Ape", and "Ahab the Arab."  It seems impossible that she is actually gone.

 

For FHE James and I watched Bible videos online.  Stacy, Paul, and Joshua went to Olive Garden with Tara and Gilbert's sister Carmen.

 





 



Sunday, February 1, 2015

President Packer says before we study the Book of Mormon

we need to study the Plan of Salvation.  Since we are studying the Book of Mormon this year in our FHE's with our children and grandchildren this will be on the front of the study journals I give to each family.

 

Since today is fast Sunday I wanted to include a couple of quotes regarding fasting:

"Fasting, coupled with mighty prayer, is powerful.  It can fill our minds with the revelations of the Spirit.  It can strengthen us against times of temptation."

-Joseph B. Wirthlin

"One reason fasting is such a source of spiritual strength is tat we take advantage of all the continual reminders our bodies give us, and use them as reminders to pray.  Without prayer, fasting is simply missing a couple of meals."

-Beppie Harrison

 

I woke up this morning thinking about the miracles of Jesus and wondering how James Hayden is doing in school. 

 

I love this quote I found on Facebook by Audrey Hepburn:



"As you grow older you will discover you have two hands.  One for helping yourself and one for helping others."

 

James bore his testimony in sacrament meeting today and so did Laura.  Laura reminded me of an angel. 

 

I really enjoyed Brother Dowdle's Sunday School lesson on being "Born Again."  He showed two Bible videos, one of the Savior teaching Nicodemus and one of him teaching The Woman at the Well.  The script was taken directly from John 3-4. 

Debbie Leib gave the lesson in Relief Society on the Plan of Salvation.  It was a good lesson.  I visited with Shellie Seymore and Laurie Jensen.

 

James and I fasted for Dallin until about 5pm.  For dinner we had my leftovers from Olive Garden and some avocado and cottage cheese.  Sheri brought over some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies which were delicious.  Later Evan brought me a Dr. Pepper 10. 

 

James and I did not watch the Superbowl but I was secretly hoping the Seahawks would win.  The final score was 28-24 with the Patriot's winning.

 

Joshua and Evan had fun with the building blocks today.

 

 



Saturday, January 31, 2015



Overcast and occasional rain today.

 

The soccer game was cancelled today because the fields were so wet  Sheri and I made a Bosa Donut run this morning.  We weren't the only ones who had this idea!

 

Michael went to a trial track run this morning in the west valley.  He was 4th out of 17.

Go Michael!

 

This morning during scripture study with James we were reading Abinadi's speech to king Noah and his people.  I was impressed with how well Abinadi knew the gospel and could teach it to others.

 

James spent the day scraping off the popcorn ceiling in Joshua's room and getting it re-textured.  He was doing this when Darrel, Trina and all of the kids came by for a visit.  They brought James chocolate covered almonds from See's and a giftcard to eat at Cheesecake Factory.

 

I am a little worried about Darrel because he has quit taking his Enbrel because his deductible is $2,000 and it would cost him $500a month.  

 

Today Rowan had his Pinewood Derby.  Here he is posing with his car.





I told him it looked like he was

holding up a fish.

 

Today Ian took Ben and Max to the NFL Experience in downtown Phoenix.  They got to see Joe Montana and Max said he had a great time. 

 

 

James and I had a date to Olive Garden with Sheri and Evan tonight to celebrate James's birthday.  James had the wings and I had the chicken scampi, my favorite dish there.

 

 

We came home and watched a BBC mystery murder with Stacy called Father Brown.  We watched two episodes.  I got a kick out of seeing the Father ride his bicycle in his priestly robes.

 

We began our fast for Dallin this evening. 

Friday, January 30, 2015

 

   "If you analyze the 58th chapter of the book of Isaiah you will find unraveled why the Lord wants us to pay fast offerings, why he wants us to fast.  It's because by qualifying thus we can call and the Lord can answer.  We can cry and the Lord will say, 'Here I am.'"

-President Harold B. Lee

 

 

The rain is putting a bit of a damper on the Phoenix Open and the pre-Super Bowl activities, but I for one am grateful for it.  We need it so much and the desert looks so beautiful after it rains!

 

This is what we do on a rainy day.  James rolls up in a blanket

while I read to him.

We did do some work today in Joshua's room and then went to Home Depot to get some paint.  We also had lunch at Chik-fil-a.

 

Laura got her prognosis today.  I received this text from her:

"I don't have IPF (Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis).  I have NSIP (Non specific interstitial pneumonia) - it is an inflammation of my lungs, but at least it is not a death sentence.  If I had IPF they were giving me 3 years to live.  With the NSIP about 30% of the affected area will not heal.  The doc hopes that she can treat the other 70% of the inflammation. 

We are so grateful that our prayers were answered.!

 

 

Jim Gaffigan, a comedian, was in town tonight and members of our family went to the show.



 

Kim and Brian went too but they didn't post a picture

on Facebook.

 

Sheri went to a surprise 50th Birthday party for Adrienne Ellsworth and posted this picture:

Good friends!

 

I am loving my early morning gospel study time.  This is one of the books I am reading:

Love it!