Saturday, August 8, 2015

Happy 12th Anniversary

to

Darrel and Trina!

Happy 6th Birthday Molly!

James invited me to go with him on the Razr to place his wildlife camera.  We saw a total of 12 pickups before this ride was over and over 11 ATV's and three hound dogs and a scampering squirrel or two, but no elk. 

James returned to the cabin before placing the cameras because he knew I was tired of riding on the back roads and because I needed to go to the bathroom.

Before we left for the valley, it looked like it was going to rain, which made it harder to leave.  We saw a semi-truck in Salt River Canyon that had gone off the road on the mountain side.  The trailer was smashed flat but the cab was only crushed on the passenger side.  Highway patrol were there helping the driver get out.  On the way into Globe we passed 10 more first responders, fire and police. 

We stopped at Burger House for 8 burros, one for Stacy, Kim, Brian and Joe.  I got Stacy a red burro and the rest were green.

James made three trips to the store this evening at my request.  He is so patient with me, most of the time.

We started our new book this evening.  It's called "The Apothecary's Daughter."











Friday, August 7, 2015

Rain and lightning storm in Phoenix tonight

 

It was overcast most of the day here in Vernon but we never really got any rain.  It did sprinkle a little while James was outside working. 

 

I had a bagel with berry cream cheese for breakfast.  After breakfast we took a drive to the Stanford store to get me a drink.  They don't carry Dr. Pepper 10 so James got me a fountain drink and a 2 liter bottle of diet Pepsi.  We came home and had scriptures.  We read Romans 9 and Alma 5. 

 

We can't stop reading "Lady Maybe," and we finally finished it today. 

 

James worked downstairs putting together shelves in the storage room.  I mop, dust, vacuum and sweep in the kitchen, dining, family room, and living room.  I don't have any cleaner for the wood floor so I order some on Amazon.

 

Here is a picture of a tiny house I found on Facebook.

James says when he's finished with the storage building,

he will build us one of these to use for a guest house,

or a place for the kids to hang out.

 

After a dinner of vegetable beef soup we watched a Hallmark movie called, "Love Again," starring Teri Polo.  She is one of my favorites.

 

James is complaining about his leg hurting.  I think he needs to see Dr. Ortega.

Sunset.  I took this picture standing on the

ledge of our front planter.

As part of their Christmas, Jared is taking all of his kids on a special date.  This week it was James's turn.  They went to San Francisco to a music concert with lots of different performers.  Here are some pictures Jared posted on Facebook:

Ready for the concert

 

 

 

I love this picture!

 

 













Thursday, August 6, 2015

The view from our bedroom porch.

We love to sit out here and read and watch the humming birds and the clouds roll in.  It's one of my happy places. 

 

I called one of the sisters on my visiting teaching beat this morning because it was her birthday.  I wanted to go visit her but she had a full day of plans. 

 

Yesterday on our way up we stopped at Burger House.  Both of us got two green chili mixed burros so we could have one for lunch today. 

 

After cleaning the kitchen and taking a nap I read to James from our book "Lady Maybe."  It is one of the best ones we have read although parts of it are a little more daring than most of Julie's other books. 

I found this picture on Facebook and James says he can build us a patio very similar to this one.  I am excited!

There are 38 declared Republican candidates running for President of the United States.  There were two debates tonight with the candidates because of the large number.  We watched the second debate which included: Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Rand Paul, Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Dr. Ben Carson,  and Scott Walker.  James and I like Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and Dr. Ben Carson, not necessarily in that order.  Donald Trump has some good ideas but he is so arrogant and outspoken, I just cannot see myself voting for him.  He is leading in the polls right now.

 

I want to close with the following picture because I think it is beautiful!

I wonder if this was photoshopped





Wednesday, August 5, 2015

These three cuties started school today at Pioneer Elementary in Gilbert.  Ruby is in 1st grade, Rowan is in 3rd, and Addy is a 6th grader, and I might add, Addy scored higher on the placement

tests than anyone else in her school.  We are very proud!

 

I got a call from my friend Karen Schneider today.  She just wanted to talk and see how I was doing. 

 

I love watching these two boys play together.  They are lucky to live so near each other.











 They usually play Legos.

Ready for school

James and I left for the cabin this evening and arrived around bedtime.  I got a phone call and on my caller ID it says it was from Anna so I answered it.  It was Tricia.  We talked for about an hour and a half.  In the mean time James brought all of the stuff in from the car and went to bed. 

 

On the way here in the car we finished the conference talks and read from "Lady Maybe." 

 

 



Tuesday, August 4, 2015



 

Rowan and a few of his cousins spent the day at Bearazona

for Rowan's birthday.  Some of the kids thought it wasn't worth the money, but Rowan loved it!  I guess you drive around in your car and look at bears out in the wild. His birthday isn't until the 10th, but he starts school tomorrow.

 

James left his notebook at the jobsite so I drove over with him to pick it up.  Of course I had to read to him while we were driving.  On the way home we stopped and picked up lunch at one of our favorite burger joints, In-N-Out Burger.

I love that they toast their buns

We deposited some checks today.  James got paid from three jobs and two individuals who owe us money.  I was able to pay some business bills.

 

We had dinner at our favorite sub sandwich restaurant, Jersey Mike's. 

 

Read from Lady Maybe.





 

 



Monday, August 3, 2015

We left the cabin this morning at 6:18, stopping at Burger House for Tony's Special Breakfast burritos.  We each had one and we delivered one to Adam and one to Sheri at Chandler Eye.

These burritos are so delicious!

James had a meeting today regarding some work he is going to do for Jerod Bowen and his work associates.  

I got a call from our realtor, Jen MacLay, that someone wanted to see the house today at 4:30. Stacy was going to leave Holly on her bed, but we decided to take her with us instead. 

 James and Holly at the Panda Express

drive-thru in Gilbert.

 

Patrick's family at the adoption of their

daughter Raelynn.

Tonight for FHE we listened to General Conference talks by Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and by Elder Pearson of the Seventy.  Both were great talks!  We also read from our new Julie Klassen book "Lady Maybe".

This book is a little more "daring" that most of

Julie's books.







Sunday, August 2, 2015

Sunrise

Sunset

 

Today was our fast and testimony meeting.  We all sat together, Jared and his kids, Trina and her kids, and James and I. We took up one entire row.  I bore my testimony and told about our family reading the Book of Mormon.  I shared how I got a call from Emmy on Easter morning where she told me she had finished reading and shared her favorite scripture: 

3 Nephi 11:14

"Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands

into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of 

Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been

slain for the sins of the world."

I've said it before and I will say it again; this experience made my Easter!

 

The lesson in Primary today was on Jesus' suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane.  I had the following children in my class: Addy, Rowan, Emmy, Ashten, Kasey, Talena, Zemira, and Braylin.  During sharing time Bishop Miller came in and talked about miracles.  He ask the kids if they knew of any miracles.  Rowan raised his hand and said: "It was a miracle that Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane but he didn't die."  I had told my class that just like olives in an olive press the Savior was "pressed" but not "crushed."  I also told them that no one else could have suffered like he did without dying.  That makes it a miracle.

 

For lunch James grilled some chicken and I made corn.  We shared with whoever wanted to eat with us. 

James Hayden went on a Razr ride and when he returned Anna took Molly and Ruby.  They were gone a very long time and when they returned Ruby was covered with cactus quills.  It took some doing to get all of them out.   Ruby had a warm bath with the Strawberry Shortcake dolls and felt much better.  

We said goodbye to Jared and his kids with the hopes of seeing Jared again in September and he and his kids again around Thanksgiving.

James and I and Trina's kids were outside on the front porch while Trina was inside getting things ready to leave for home.  Lola was sitting on the porch with a stick when suddenly she lifted the stick towards James and said: "Here Gampa."  James and I both heard her and would swear that's what she said!

 Sweet Lola

After saying goodbye to Trina and her kids as they left for home, James and I went on a Razr ride.  It was a little chilly so when we returned we made some hot chocolate 

This evening we had scriptures and read from our book