Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Happy 45th Birthday Monte!

Monte with his daughters Kaytlynn and Madison.

 

I made it to the temple today.  I decided I was going once a week either with someone else or by myself.  Today it was by myself.  I did an endowment session for Mary Strickland. I saw several friends from Chandler: Tammy Cluff Montgomery, Edra Cobb, Carol Dana, and Gerry Price.  Randy Knorr was also in my session.  I went to the 9:15 session and was home by 11:30. 

 

Kim picked me up for lunch a little after noon.  We went to the Zupa's here in Chandler over by the Chandler mall. 



Everything is made fresh and seems so healthy!

Their menu is a work of art and I can recommend the

pulled pork sandwich and the chicken tortilla soup.

Kim had a salad and loved it too.

Thank you Kim for a delicious lunch!

The company was great too!

Kayla and Addy

These two girls dance, tumble, and go to school together.

They are best friends!

 

Michael got to run in the Meet of Champions tonight.  Only the top 8 in state were invited.  He said it was time for "redemption" for him.  The meet was held at Brophy High School in Phoenix and it was after 8pm when he ran.  I wanted to go but James was just too tired.  Paul went and texted us the results.  Michael came in 2nd and got a personal best official time of 1:57:24.  Woohoo!  He honored his friend Marcus by wearing a black and orange arm band, Corona's school colors.



Michael's medal

Still not satisfied.  He wanted to be first.

Jordan Gardner from Snowflake beat him.





 

 



 



Tuesday, May 12, 2015

This is Peg Curry.  She lives in Hohenwald, Tennessee.  She is 79 years old and here she is zip lining 920 feet in the air over Honduras.

I know Peg because she is the mother of my sister-in-law Denise.  We were traveling companions a few years back when she and I and Dennis and Denise all went to New York City together.  She is in great shape for her age and loves to travel and seek adventure.  She is one of my heroes!

James and I had lunch today at Cheesecake Factory.  We used on of the giftcards I got for mother's day.  We shared crab bites, the French country salad, and Chicken Bellagio.  It was all very tasty.  I also got a piece of lemon meringue cheesecake to take home.  It was delicious and is my new favorite cheesecake.

My old favorite cheesecake.

 

A sad thing happened today.  A senior at Corona Del Sol, Marcus Wheeler committed suicide.  I first heard about it when Dallin posted about it on Facebook.  When James and I got home from Cheesecake Factory, Dallin, Michael, Paul, and Stacy were all seated in the family room and it was very quiet.  I guess Marcus had gone to Chandler and was a runner on both the cross country and track team.  He was a good friend of Michael's and they still talked from time to time.  He has been over here many times.  Jared Ammon and Dallin also knew him but Michael was the closest to him.  Michael went downstairs and just wanted to be alone.

   Everyone is concerned about Marcus's dad.  They lived alone together.  I guess Marcus lost a full-ride scholarship and his girlfriend broke up with him and it was more than he could handle.  Yesterday on Twitter he posted: "Help."  He took a gun and shot himself at the school.  Luckily none of the students saw him. 

 

I feel so sad for Michael.  He says if he had been a better friend this might not have happened.  Kim told Joseph: "This is why you are always kind and nice to everyone.  You never know what is going on in some one else's life." 









Monday, May 11, 2015

My favorite character on my favorite show right now!

I had a nice breakfast during my early morning study time, strawberry shortcake and Costco chocolate cake.  I was too full to eat it yesterday. 

 

James and I started a new book by a new author:



So far so good.

This afternoon James chopped down our second, dead mulberry tree.  I am sad to see them go but they looked horrible.  Now we have branches, and blocks of wood and a huge stump on the side of the house.  Dallin, Alex and Seth helped.  I chose to look at this while they were working:



 African daisies and our new mailbox

I worked on cleaning out the pantry today but I am still not done  There is a lot of "stuff" stuffed in that small place.  Once I get it all cleaned out we are going to paint.

 

For dinner this evening we went to Jersey Mike's.  I got the Jersey Shore special with a wrap instead of a sub bun and I loved it!

 

For FHE we listened to Elder Nielsen's talk with Stacy's family.  Afterwards she bore her testimony and Paul gave a nice family prayer.  James also listened to the Constitution lecture #3 with me in our bedroom.  





Sunday, May 10, 2015

In Tammy Jones's backyard in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tammy was in our ward when James was the bishop here

in Chandler.  No wonder she likes Tennessee!

 

Today on Primary lesson was the faith and obedience of Lehi.  Part of the lesson featured this scripture: 1 Nephi 1:6

"And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar

of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw

and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly."

James took a large rock, fuel and lighter to church with him.  Years ago for a FHE lesson he lit a rock on fire and the kids loved it.  I suppose he is going to do it again.

 

For sacrament meeting today the bishop asked several of the graduating youth to share their favorite scripture from the D&C, the seminary course of study this year, and to talk about their moms.  Those who spoke were: Jacob Dowdle, Brad Dawson, Alex Braddock, Alizabeth Ross, and Megan Wanlass.  They all did a great job.

 

Sister Mcafee had the kids play musical chairs to help them learn the words to the song: "I believe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints".



It was engaging for those who got to play.

I know it's blurry, but I love this picture of Taylor!

We had seven kids in our class today: Ryder, Malachi, Isaiah, Liam, Brooklyn, Taylor and Callie.  They loved James's fire on the rock demonstration, which we did outside by the way.  When Taylor told her dad that we light a rock on fire in class today, his comment was: "Oh yeah, sure you did."  Hope no one complains and that we don't get "fired."

 

It was a nice mother's day afternoon and evening.  James cooked me a nice steak dinner with salad and a baked potato.  Sheri gave me strawberry shortcake and a huge piece of my favorite chocolate cake from Costco.  Kim brought over chocolate caramels and a ticket to go see Derek and Julianne Hough's dance tour on June 12th. (It's from Sheri too, plus remember yesterday Sheri took me to get a pedicure).  Also got flowers yesterday from Brian and James.  Darrel and Trina and all of the kids came over for a visit and brought a $50 giftcard to Cheesecake Factory.  They really know the way  to my heart! Dallin was here and serenaded Stacy and we all listened. 

Paul made dinner for Stacy and she had all of her boys here except Jared Ammon. 

We went to see Lois and Dawn and took Lois some flowers.  We had a nice visit.

Jared called around 8pm and we talked for about a hour.  He is in a good place right now.  Also he sent me a $50 Cheesecake Factory gift card and a Regency Romance novel.  (He knows that I read them to dad all the time).

Oh, yes, I also got a very sweet letter from Stacy.  All in all it was a wonderful mother's day.  

 



Saturday, May 9, 2015

A surprise mother's day delivery from Brian.

It made me cry when I read his card.

Thank you Brian.

Brian, Kim, Joe, and Alex are at the cabin.  Kim is totally happy.  Not only are their elk camped in our backyard, but it snowed!

You can only see the elk's heads because they are all laying down.

 



I started out the day by going to Evan's and Joshua's soccer game.  I got to sit by Sheri.  When she asked me what I wanted for mother's day, I told her a pedicure, and she agreed.  I love looking at my toes after I get a pedicure.



Well, at least the ones on my right foot anyway.

As he did last Saturday James worked all day on the house.  This time he was replacing drywall in the laundry room.  We had drywall dust throughout the house, but it's all in the name of progress.  He had to do some remodeling when a water pipe stuck out beyond the drywall line.  He stopped in time to get me flowers, pick up Adam, and go to Michael's state track meet.

Beautiful!

While James was at the state track meet I was at Addy and Ruby's dance recital at Williams Field High School in Gilbert.  I was there with Trina, Darrel, Rowan, Lola, Tristan, Rhia, Susy and Bob Case and Bryce, Lexy, and Kylee.  I don't know where Kreed. We loved watching the girls dance.  Each of them performed in two numbers and then in the finale.  Addy was in "Uptown Funk" and "Halo", and Ruby performed to "Workin' at the Carwash" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".  Kayla was also in the same dances Addy was in. Ruby was on our side of the stage so I got some photos of her during her dances.  Addy was on the other side of the stage and was in the second row so I couldn't get any pictures of her during her dances.

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

"Workin' at the Carwash"

The finale

Ruby and Addy



Ruby in her "Workin' at the Carwash" pose.

Kayla and Addy

Michael had quite a family cheering section at the track meet.  Paul, Stacy, Joshua, Dallin, Jared Ammon, Adam, James, and Sheri.



Mesa Community College.

Harold, Vickie, Monte and his family were there too. Harold and Monte both coach for Show Low.  The Show Low girls took state in their division.

Go Michael!

 The Gonzales fan club minus Stacy.

Paul was happy to have all of his sons at the event.

Michael is the one in the white headband.  He ended up coming

in sixth.  He was not happy.  His family is proud of him.

We love you Michael!

 

Look at the top three runners in the 800 meter

for Chandler.

Harold and Monte and Show Low girls are

Division III champs!

I am ending the day with this picture of Ruby horseback riding.

She had this picture taken at a birthday party she went to today.

 

 

 









Friday, May 8, 2015

While I was watching Lola as Darrel went on a fieldtrip to Shamrock Farms with Rowan, and Trina went on a fieldtrip with Ruby to the children's museum in Mesa, James was helping Dave and Terry put in a sprinkler system in their mom's backyard.

This is what Lois wanted for mother's day.

Dave assessing the situation.

Lois loves to garden.

I thought maybe Dave was the only one on the job,

but there is Terry.

 

I got to look at this sweet  face today.

 

She tried some yogurt but really preferred the banana and

Nutrigrain bar.

Trina said to be sure and take her clothes off when I feed her,

so I did.

Lola loves music!

What a happy baby!

Grandpa came by for a visit after working at his mom's house.

Can you tell they love each other.

 

It was a beautiful day today with the high around 77, a perfect day for a trip to Shamrock Farms. 

Rowan got another date with his dad this evening when they went to see the new "Avengers" movie.  Reclining seats at the theater on Gilbert and Warner.



 Rowan enjoying the good life.

After Ruby and Kreed's fieldtrip they had a kindergarten mothers day program back at the school.  All the mothers got paper hats made by their kindergarteners.

Trina said sometimes you get just what you want!

 

Kim, Brian, Joe, and Alex drove to the cabin tonight.  I guess it's what Kim wanted to do for Mother's Day.











Thursday, May 7, 2015

We woke up to elk in our backyard this morning.

James was so happy!

I woke up with a major cramp in my right calf.  I had to take a couple of aspirin in order to get around.  I washed the sheets on all of the beds,  I cleaned out the refrigerator, wiped down all the counters, and swept and mopped the floors in the kitchen.  I swept the woods floors and dusted and cleaned the bathrooms.  It took me all day long.  I am slow and take lots of breaks.  I forgot my Sonic Duo so I couldn't clean or polish the wood floors and they really do need it. 

 

James gathered information for taxes and worked on repairing the broken railing outside.



My hardworking husband.

We left for Chandler around 5:15 and after making three stops, we arrived at 8:30.  We stopped at Burger House for burros for us and for Sheri.  She was most appreciative.  It rained on us between Miami and Superior.