Wednesday, April 15, 2015

The Arches National Park in Utah

 

I got up and studied this morning but wasn't feeling well so I took some aspirin and went back to bed.  In the past 24 hours I have taken a total of 8 aspirin. 

 

I did manage to take a shower and get myself over to the movie theatre on Gilbert and Germann by 1pm.  I am seeing Cinderella again, this time with Karen Schneider.  She bought my ticket because I think she felt guilty knowing it was my fourth time seeing the movie.  I appreciated her generosity, but it really wasn't necessary.  I enjoyed the movie just as much this time as I did the first time I saw it!



One of my favorite scenes!

After the movie Karen and I said our goodbye's and I headed for Hobby Lobby.  I bought a small glass lightbulb container to put Alex's birthday money in.  I have a "bright" idea and will share more tomorrow.  Also drove through El Pollo and took some chicken home to James.

 

Today is tax day and once again we are filing an extension.  Instead of working on taxes today he painted the front door and put a new door, which he had to remodel, in the hall bathroom.  He painted the front door because the staining the boys did was quite a mess.  I said he should have given better instructions.  Oh well.

 

We went to visit Darrel and the kids this evening.  Trina was at work and got home just as we were leaving.  These kids love seeing us and sometimes it is a bit overwhelming because they all want to talk to you at once.  I absolutely love it because I feel like they really care about me!

I can't stand the cuteness!

 

My left calf was hurting so badly when I went to bed that I had to take more aspirin.  I also got a printout today showing how much my Remicade is costing Medicare.  My last visit was over $5600!  The sad thing is that it doesn't even help me that much.  Feeling pretty discouraged.







Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Today was Temple and Taco Tuesday for James and I.

We went to the Gilbert temple and did initiatories which took a little over an hour.  While we were there we saw several people we knew.  Pam Whetten who worked with me in a Relief Society presidency about 35 years ago, Nancy Williams Brimhall who went to high school with us, and Gerry Price who is currently in our ward.  It is always nice to see great people in the temple.

After the temple we drove to Tia Rosa's on Higley and Guadalupe in Gilbert for our tacos.



James at Tia Rosa's

James had a fish taco and a salmon taco.

He thought they needed more seasoning.

I had a shredded beef taco with a side of rice and beans.  My only complaint was the taco shell didn't seem authentic.  It looked like a "prefab" shell.  I said maybe we would enjoy it better the next time we came and James said there would be no next time.

 

I went home and took a short nap before picking up Ben at school at 2:15.  I guess there is Merit testing this week and the kids are on a different schedule.

 

We finished our book: "Becoming Lady Lockwood" by Jennifer Moore.  It was one of our favorites.  Now we need to go get a new book.

 

I also went to Sonic for a drink during happy hour and to the bank where I deposited a check from the Jerod Bowen job.  I spent the evening working on re-doing the Lambson Construction check register for 2015.  James messed it up a bit while working on taxes.

 

Heather and Patrick have a new member of their family:

Welcome to the family,

Raelynn Rose!

 













Monday, April 13, 2015

When Sheri texted me this picture this morning I had a feeling that

she hadn't gone to work. 

This is where she went with Trina and Lexy:

Trina and Lexy paddle boarding on the Salt River

Sheri and Trina

 Lexy and Trina

I told Sheri they looked like a bunch of foot loose and fancy free college girls!

Next time I want to be the one that babysits Lola!

 

James and I had more pesto flatbread for lunch.  Now if we want more I am going to have to go shopping.

 

Jared Ammon came over today to thank us for the help we have given him and to see if we could help him a little more until he gets back on his feet.  Of course we said yes.

 

Joshua got stung by a bee today.



Joshua also had a slight fever so he stayed home from

school on Tuesday.



 



Sunday, April 12, 2015

"A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who has gained a witness

through the Spirit of the divinity and mission of the Savior,

studies His gospel, incorporates His teachings into daily life by

relying on His enabling power, and spreads the news of His

gospel to others.  Disciples of Christ are not without weaknesses

or sin, but their shortcomings neither paralyze them nor prevent

them from selfless service and daily repentance.  The goal of a

disciple is not to be different from everyone else but to be more

like the Master"

-Camille Fronk Olson

 

Today was our fast and testimony meeting.  James bore his testimony and so did Hunter Jensen who is leaving on his mission for Australia on April 22nd.  Hunter's mom, Laurie was one of the last people to bear her testimony and she had me in tears.  She says she remembers seeing her husband Kurt off for his mission to Australia years ago before she was a member and she knew then she wanted her sons to serve missions.  She joined the Church while Kurt was on his mission.  She said when people ask her or her family why they live like they live and why they go on missions and serve and believe, she says: "Because of Him, meaning because of the Savior.  I looked over and Sheri was crying too.  It was a great way to end the meeting.

Clint Allen who just turned 12 and passed the sacrament for the first time bore his testimony also.  He said: "I have been waiting for this moment all of my life."  What a sweet thing to say.

 

During Primary sharing time today Paula Casto showed the movie "The First Vision."  All of the kids were so good, especially Isaiah, who was not so good during singing time.  During singing time Sister McAfee had the kids put on spring "hats" and Sister Coffey went outside to take their pictures for mother's day.  We had butterflies, ladybugs, frogs, bees, and bunnies.  They were so cute!

 

Our lesson today was on the baptismal covenant.  I actually got through the lesson and then we had activity time where the kids colored, played with Playdough and we read a story from the Friend.  The kids were good today.  We only had seven: Taylor, Brooklyn, Callie, Malachi, Isaiah, Ryder, and Liam.

 

When we got home from church we broke our fast and I made pesto flatbread for lunch.  Whole wheat flatbread, pesto sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese and a slice of tomato all go under the broiler for a few minutes and it comes out delicious!

 

We had a nice nap and then we went to Tempe to visit with Lois and Dawn.  We had a nice visit but I came home feeling a little down.  Maybe because I wanted to talk to Dawn about reading the Book of Mormon but just didn't have the courage to do so.  I am just so afraid she is going to say no.

 

Evan wrote in his journal today.

 

 



Rowan played chess with his dad.





 



Saturday, April 11, 2015

We got to watch Max play football today.

He was awesome!

 

Darrel and Trina and their kids are at the cabin this weekend.

Addy took this picture.  I love it!

A twig sitting bluebird!

 





After Max's game James and I headed for Elmer's.  We each got a machaca taco and I got a bean and cheese burro and he got a machaca burro.  Tomorrow is fast Sunday.  I want to start my fast at 2pm today so when we get out of church tomorrow at 2pm we can come home and eat.  I ate my taco around 10 and then had my burro at 2 this afternoon.

 

James and I went to Adam's play this afternoon with Kim and Brian.  Alex and Sheri were also there.  I really liked it.  I think everyone else did too, except maybe Brian.

Adam had the male lead and did an excellent job.  He had three solo's and got to sword fight, and kiss two girls.

Kaitlin had two parts and was my favorite female.

The girl pirates were pretty tough.

James told Kaitlin she looked like she could be in

Lion King.

 

After the play Kim, Brian, Sheri, and Ian hurried off to dinner club.  Tonight they are eating at St. Francis's in Phoenix.

I came home and worked on our Primary lesson before going to bed.







Friday, April 10, 2015

Happy Sibling Day!

Can you guess which one is James?

Too bad Rebecca wasn't in this one

My guess would be about 1982.

I think this was taken when I was in college.

 

I did errands today and had a hard time finding the National Bank in Gilbert.  I was in the Costco parking lot looking for it but ended up having to Google it.  It was less than a quarter mile away. I also went to Walmart in Gilbert while I was there. 

 

James and I had planned on going to the temple but I was just too tired.  I really need to go early in the day.  I promised I would go with him next Tuesday.

 

This afternoon I took Stacy to Sam's Club to pick up a pizza.  She doesn't have a Sam's Club card and her boys love their pizza.  A large pepperoni pizza is $9, which is a really good deal.  Afterwards she, Paul, and Joshua went to see Adam's play: "Pirates, in Love" at the Tuscany theater on Higley and Guadalupe in Gilbert.  They had two free tickets.

 

I got a call from a member of the Chandler West Stake Presidency, Randall Jones, who is also a former bishop of ours.  He asked me if I would be willing to speak in stake conference.  I told him I would be happy too. ( Was I stretching the truth?)  The topic is: "The Family is Ordained of God."  I spoke last April in the Show Low stake conference on basically the same topic.  Interesting how I can go 65 years and not be asked to speak in stake conference and then be ask two years in a row!

 

This evening Dave and Laura invited us over to play Five Crowns with them and Terry and Cathi.  It was a lot of fun.  Cathi ended up winning and Laura was the loser.  Afterwards we had strawberry shortcake.  Yummy!

 



Thursday, April 9, 2015

I went to visit my friend Karen Schneider today.  She moved out to south Gilbert, and had a beautiful view of the San Tan Mountain.

She moved from a beautiful T.W. Lewis home here in Chandler to another T.W. Lewis home in Gilbert.  This one is smaller, but Karen wanted to downsize.

Honestly, I felt like I was in a model home, except for this little bit of family history.

A picture of Karen and her china, along with her

mother and grandmother and their china.

The kitchen is huge and I am afraid the pictures I have

don't let you see how beautiful it is.

 

A huge island in the middle of the kitchen.

Family room which a huge window looking

outside onto the backyard.

My friend Karen. 

From the gazebo they have a nice view of the

Santan Mountain.

Firepit

 

A beautifully landscaped backyard that pretty

much takes care of itself.

For lunch we went to this local favorite of Karen and Lance's:





 We both had the chicken apple

walnut salad.  For my side I had the soup of the day, which was

white chicken chili.  The real hit of the day for us was Karen's side:

The  three cheese veggie flatbread with basil pesto, and mozzarella cheese topped with sautéed asparagus, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, spinach, roasted tomatoes and Havarti dill cheese, finished with Parmesan cheese.  Karen shared some with me and it was so delicious!

After lunch Karen showed me around one of the local home accessory boutiques before I took her back home.  I had such a great time!

 

This afternoon and evening it was back to paying bills and helping James with taxes.