Sunday, May 3, 2015

A storm that we were not expecting hit the

Valley of the Sun during Sunday night.

 

James and I spent the morning getting ready for our Primary lesson.  I loaded up on Ibuprofen before leaving for church.

 

 

My favorite testimonies today were Michael Ellsworth's and Chris Braddock's.  Chris is a young man that was in our Primary class a few years back.  He has grow into a fine young man and his testimony of prayer was both powerful and sincere.  I am so proud of him!

 

Sister Evan's did an awesome demonstration of the wise man building his house upon the rock and the foolish man building his house upon the sand for Primary sharing time today.  The kids loved it and so did this teacher!

Sister McAfee let some of the kids wear butterfly wings during singing time.  This one was the cutest.



 

Our lesson today was on how Joseph Smith received the gold plates from the angel Moroni and a history of the Book of Mormon.  At one point we had all the kids sit on the floor and James showed them pictures and told them stories from the Book of Mormon.  It was my favorite part of the lesson!

I love how he is down on the floor with them.

I could never do that.

Hi Ryder.

 

When we returned home from church we kneeled by our bed and closed our fast.  For lunch we had pesto flatbread with tomato and cheese cooked under the broiler.  Delicious!

 

Today as we were leaving church Dave asked us to go home and do indexing, so we did.  I haven't indexed since December 2013, so I needed a little help.  I worked on Ohio obituaries and had to call Cathi to ask her a few questions but I got my batch done.  James had a difficult time downloading the index app so he gave up and took a nap.  When he got up from his nap he managed to get the app downloaded and did two batches. 

 

I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with walnuts for dinner.

 

We did not read from our novel today.  I told James I didn't think it was an appropriate Sabbath day activity.

 

Stacy read to me from "Return from Tomorrow" by George Richie this evening.  He had some incredible out of body experiences and he tells about meeting the Savior and seeing his life flash before him and being reminded of certain choices he had made.  He said he felt nothing but unconditional love from the Savior.  I wish everyone could understand how much we need the Savior and how much he truly loves and cares for us.

 





Saturday, May 2, 2015

 

What can I say?

Adorable!

 

This morning I went to Peixoto Coffee Shop in downtown Chandler for breakfast.  I brought back three chocolate croissants, one for James, Sheri, and myself.  Sheri loved hers.  James wasn't a big fan, and I thought they needed more chocolate.  The croissants were made by Proof Bread and I follow them on Instagram.

 

This boy had a football game today.  He made two tackles!

Max is awesome!

Joshua and Evan had a soccer game:

 

Joshua throws in the ball

Evan controls the ball

Joshua getting ready to kick.

Quick before it goes out of bounds!

 

While the boys were out getting some exercise, this is what Holly was doing.



Living the good life,

sleeping and T.V.

 

I felt bad for James this morning.  He was tackling the storage shed by himself.  Alex and Seth were supposed to help but they went camping and fishing instead.  I went out to help him for a couple of hours until Stacy and Paul's family came to the rescue.  This is such a big job I doubt that they will finish today. 

 

James also put a new outside door on the carport entrance.  This was has no window and it is so different from the other one that it is going to take some time to get use to.

 

This afternoon around 2pm James and I started our fast.  We are fasting for family needs.  Sometimes it's hard to fast on Saturday afternoon and evening but tomorrow as soon as we get home from church we will break our fast and eat. 

 

This afternoon and evening I listened to lecture two of my Constitution 101 class and did some catchup reading.  I also did some preparation for tomorrow's Primary lesson. 

 

Jared Ammon was here most of the late afternoon and evening.  It's always nice to see him.   

 

James worked hard all day long and was exhausted this evening.  I read him a bedtime story before going to bed.

 

 

 





Friday, May 1, 2015

Flowers courtesy of Aunt Carmen

 

"An important part of being fruitful that is sometimes overlooked is that of bringing forth the kingdom of God upon the earth."

-Elder Joseph W. Sitati

 

As I was reading Mosiah 16 today I realized it goes along with 2 Nephi 2 and 2 Nephi 9 in explaining the plan of salvation and our need for a Savior.  It was an epiphany of sorts.

 

Brent and one of his workers came this morning to fix sprinklers and bubblers.  Oh happy day!

 

Addy and her cousin Kylee had a famous day person at school.  I love these pictures.  I remember last year when Max was Wyatt Earp.

Addy's comment about Susan B. Anthony:

"I still don't understand why she is famous."

Addy did not get to choose who she wanted to be.

I guess we all know why Benjamin Franklin is famous.

 

I sure do miss the young women in Vernon.  Here is a picture of one of my favorites!

Trenda is smart, sweet, spiritual, and stunning!

 

Here is another picture to remind us of how beautiful Heavenly Father's creations are.  I do love the springtime!







 

 





Thursday, April 30, 2015

Alex found an exotic (for lack of a better word),

toad in his garage.  He was worried about him

so he brought him down and put him in our daisy planter by the

mail box and then turned the water on.  Later James couldn't find him so we are assuming he burrowed down into the mud.

 

I went grocery shopping at Walmart this morning because we were out of milk, bread, and other good things to eat.  I brought home and roasted chicken and James and I devoured it for lunch.

 

Joshua stayed home from school again today.  He made a speedy recovery this afternoon.

Indiana Jones rose up from his sickbed.

 

I read an interesting article today about the San Diego temple.  One of the LDS architects woke early one morning and came up with the design and a motif that looked like this:

He had no idea the significance of this design until he visited Hugh Nibley in Salt Lake City.  When Brother Nibley saw the design his comment was: "That is the seal of King Melchizedek."

The design was used throughout the temple.

Glass doors.

This aerial view shows how the squares were also

used in the design of the building.

The outside design of the San Diego is one of my very favorites if not my favorite.  Brother Lewis's story about the seal of Melchizedek and the significance of it gives me chills.  Brother Lewis has given many firesides telling about the design and what he learned about it.  When President Hinckley heard the story he insisted the design be used somewhere in the Salt Lake temple, which it was.

 



The seal of King Melchizedek.

 

James and I were out this evening when Erik came by to look at his truck.  Erik brought his family with him and I am sad that I missed seeing them, especially baby Tabitha Rose. 

 

















Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Jared Ammon, Dobis, and Joshua.

 

"The sealing power reveals itself in family relationships, in attributes and virtues developed in a nurturing environment, and in loving service.  These are the cords that bind families together, and the priesthood advances their development."

-James E. Faust

 

I spent the morning at the DMV.  I was last there on March 18th to apply for a new driver's license since I lost my original.  They gave me a temporary license and said I should receive my new license within 15 days.  I never received it.  My mistake was having it sent to Vernon instead of Chandler.  This time I had it sent to Chandler.  I was there almost two hours and was ready for some lunch when I got home.  James was ready to and wanted to take me out. 

 

We went to the Firehouse subs on Germann and Gilbert.  I had one of their under 500 calories subs, the salsa verdie turkey.  I liked the turkey but they needed to put more green chilies on.  While there I saw on the TV that no fans were allowed at the Orioles game because of the riots caused by the death of a black man, Freddie Gray.  Freddie died while riding in the back of a police car.  The world is crazy right now.

 

After lunch I was craving something sweet so I talked James into going to Kneader's drive thru for dessert.  It worked because I told him I would read to him from our new book:

 

The sequel to a book we read a month or two ago called:

"A Lady's Honor."

The Trelawny family legacy continues.

 

Anyway, back to Kneaders.  James got a double fudge brownie and I got a chocolate éclair.  So much for my low calorie lunch.

 

James put up a new mailbox today.  Someone hit the last one backing up in James's truck.  We still haven't figured out who did it.  No one seems to want to confess.  This afternoon he took Alex to do some work at Jerod Bowen's.

 

Paul put on his uniform and declared war on the leaves today.  His mom said he looked like a well-nourished terrorist.  Stacy thought it was ironic because he has a Captain America shirt on.



 









Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Girls lunch today at Mimi's

Lois invited her two daughters that live here and her three daughter-in-laws to lunch at Mimi's today.  I am kicking myself around the room right now for not taking a picture.  Anyway, there were six of us: Lois, Dawn, Rebecca, Cathi, Laura, and I.  We met at the Mimi's on Alma School and Southern around 11 am.  We all chose to order from the lunch menu.  I had the chicken chopped salad and a buttermilk spice muffin.  The salad was good and the muffin was great!  It was super fun.  I don't think any of us expected Lois to pay but she said she had a gift card and insisted.

 

James was worried we weren't going to get to do taco Tuesday but I assured him we would.  Later this afternoon we went to a little Mexican dive on Chandler Blvd and McClintock that has been around since we first moved to Chandler.  It is called Espo's.  We liked the tacos, refried beans and green chili burro.  I am ready to up our taco Tuesday game to nicer restaurants that have a little atmosphere.  Dawn says Barrio's in Phoenix is supposed to be the best Mexican food restaurant in Arizona.  I also would like to try La Hacienda's, a place I heard of on Facebook, and Garcia's.  I haven't been to Garcia's in years.

 

This is what my hand looked like this morning when I first got up.

It's hard to write when your hand is puffed up like a toad.

 

This even Max had a band concert at Hancock Elementary School.  He is in the fifth grade band and plays the trombone. 



Max on the trombone

Both the fifth and sixth grade bands performed.  I really enjoyed the concert and was proud of Max for receiving an award for Most Improved!  We sat by Sheri, Ian, and Evan.

 

We finally made a decision regarding the realtor who will represent us while we have our house on the market.  Her name is Jen MacClay.





Monday, April 27, 2015

Earthquake in Nepal

There was an earthquake in Nepal on Saturday measuring

7.8 on the Reichter scale.  Over 5,000 people have died

and those who are left in the hit area are without food or shelter.

One heartwarming story is of the rescue of a four month old baby.

We have been remembering them in our prayers and today I told Joshua about it and asked him to remember the people in his prayers too.  He said he would.

 

Joshua stayed home from school today saying he had a sore throat.  He has been on an antibiotic for several days now so it is frustrating that he is still complaining of a sore throat. 

 

I took Sheri to pick up her car this morning at Erik's after taking Max and Evan to school.  On the way home I stopped at Walgreen's and picked up some Tylenol for Joshua.  After taking it he was playing and felt much better. 

 

James and I had some watermelon around lunch time and we shared with Joshua.  He said next to pomegranates watermelon is his favorite fruit. 

 

Trina, Rowan, Ruby and Lola came over for a visit this afternoon.  Addy was at her dance class.  I miss that girl.  Evan was so excited they were coming that he rode his bicycle around the neighborhood waiting for them.  They brought back volume 2 of the illustrated Book of Mormon and took volumes 3 and 4 for Rowan to read this week.  If he finishes the 16 volumes by July 1st I told him I would give him $25.

 

We love having Trina and the kids come to visit!

Miss Ruby

Lola and Max

 

Trina says she thinks the house looks good.  I guess we have made some improvements since she was here last.

 

This evening after dinner James and Paul went to Kim and Brian's to give Brian a blessing.  Brian has lyme disease and is also suffering from vertigo.  During the blessing James gave him he admonished him to read and study the scriptures to increase his faith. 

After the blessing we told Kim that Stacy was also suffering from vertigo and that Joshua was sick with a sore throat.  She brought some of her DoTerra oils and used them on Stacy and Joshua.  They each got blessings also from James and Paul.  It was a good way to spend FHE.