Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Happy Birthday to this handsome guy!

James Hayden turns 15 today.

 Another reason to be excited for today!

I have been waiting for this movie to come out on blu-ray since I saw it in the theatre in March.

James got a 4am phone call from Gail's friend Paul who is here in Arizona with his wife Janelle who is elk hunting with a guide.  Paul said he was bored and was wondering if James would take him out on the Razr to look for elk.   James thought he meant at four in the afternoon!  

James went out and promised he would be back by 9am to take me into town to get "Cinderella" and to take flowers to my mother's grave.  

Our stop at Walmart was quite productive. We got Cinderella, a beautiful potted mum plant, and chicken wings.  When we got back to the car I reminded James that we weren't allowed to eat out chicken wings.  On the way to the graveyard in Lakeside, we stopped at the Maverick station and while James was inside getting me a drink, I sat at the picnic table outside with the chicken wings.  It was a cool, windy and overcast, but I persevered!  James is full of surprises.  Not only did he get my drink but he also got each of us our own package of almond M&M's.  (No wonder I can't lose any weight!)

Someone is taking good care of my mom's grave, and I am pretty sure I know who it is....my sister-in-law Vickie who loved my Mom almost as much as I did.

  There are two statues of children between the headstone and

my mums.  You can see one of them in this picture.

On the way home we stop at Denny's for brunch.  James has an omelet and I have two pancakes and some bacon.  The pancakes weren't very good so I don't finish them.  James finishes his omelet.

yummmmmm

After my nap I watch last night's DWTS. I wasn't going to watch this season but Sheri told me how good Bindi Erwin was dancing with Derek Hough.  She was right, she is only 17 but she is very good!

I also watched Gabby win on the finale of "So You Think You Can Dance."

I watched Cinderella and then a Hallmark movie with James called "The Gourmet Detective."

Every morning and every evening during elk "season", James goes out on the porch and blows his elk call.  I think this guy heard him this evening.

 Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

 

Monday, September 14, 2015

Bull Fever is in full swing

in Vernon, Arizona.

Sheri's quote of the day:

"Belief and testimony and faith are not passive principles.  They do not just happen to us.  Belief is something we choose - we hope for it, we work for it, and we sacrifice for it.  

We will not accidentally come to believe in the Savior and His Gospel any more than we will accidentally pray or pay tithing.  We actively choose to believe just like we choose to keep other commandments."

-Elder Whitney Clayton

We spent the morning communicating with our realtor, Jen, regarding the buyers offer and our counter-offer.  We finally agreed on a price, and then it took over two hours to fax all of the paperwork to Jen.  It's one of the liabilities of living in the country - slow internet.

After the ordeal of waiting two hours we took a break and went to the Stanford store to get gas, a drink for me, and some peanut M&M's.  

We went on a Razr ride and saw a big bull elk in a clearing across from "the Pit."  We forgot the camera so we didn't get any pictures.  James is pretty good with his elk call.  He's made alot of friends in the forest.

Speaking of the pit, this is Jared on the swing

above the pit.  This picture was taken

on September 5, 2015.

This evening we watched a Hallmark movie called, "The Backyard Wedding."  The annoying, red-haired lispy girl that I don't like starred in this one.

A very alarming thing is going on in our world right now.  Refugees in Syrian,  Christians, are fleeing their country by the millions because of ISIS.

Merilee Bogle Cameron is baking cookies to raise money for

these refugees.  Leave it to a Bogle to take action and do something for someone else.  They take after their mom, Betty, one of the most kind and compassionate people I know.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Happy Birthday to my beautiful mom!

I got a  message from Veleda Penrod Willis who was my

mom's best friend in high school.  She said:

"Thinking about your Mom today! I made such wonderful memories with her.  She was such a big part of my life.  She would have been 85 today.  I am sure she is happy where she is!!!

Hug to you."

Kim attended sacrament meeting with us today.  It was high councilman day.  Paul Wyatt, who was just released from the high council today, was the speaker along with his wife Pandora.  Pandora is an avid family history researcher and she spoke about the importance of doing family history work and connecting with our ancestors.  Paul spoke about his family and Pandora.  You can tell he is really proud of her.  She has two passions: horses, and family history.  

Alice Wilhelm was the youth speaker and do a great job speaking about gospel standards. 

My lesson in Primary today was on the day of Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Ghost.  My class included: Braylin, Zemira, Kasey, Ashten, and Talena.

I gave Patsy Tedder a hug today and told her how sorry I was about her grandson Tyler who passed away a couple of weeks ago.

Today was a beautiful overcast day with a little bit of rain.  I think the rain was for Kim.  She loves it almost as much as I do. 

  Rainy days and Sunday

This afternoon after naptime and lunch I did some more coloring in my new book.  I had a nice visit with Kim before she left for home around 4pm. 

Sweet Kimmy

James and Brother Rick Lauritzen went home teaching to the Wallace's today.  Sister Ruth Wallace has had some serious health issues recently.  One of the things that she deals with is severe anxiety.  George, her husband, has heart problems and has been in and out of the hospital.  That may be what she has anxiety about.

This evening we watched a Hallmark movie called "A Wish Come True." 

Back in Chandler Stacy and Paul attended Nicole's baby blessing.  Nicole is Paul's sister.  They are in the same ward as Karen Schneider.

The baby's name is Max Fielding Schaub

Boy #4 

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Sheri posted this for grandparents day.

Sheri's quote of the day:

"A person cannot give a crust to the Lord without

receiving a loaf in return."

-Melvin J. Ballard

James left to be at the church by 5am.  He takes the missionaries in his car to the temple.  They travel about 45 minutes to the Snowflake temple with other leaders and the youth of the Vernon ward.  

 Holly

 Alice

Heaven

 LeeAnn

Shelly also went to the temple but she left before James could get her picture.  Lane Hall and Ty Applegate were the boys who attended.  I guess James would rather take pictures of girls than boys.

After returned from the temple James loaded up his CAT SkidSteer and left to help gather wood for the single sisters in our ward.  The youth were supposed to help, but only the young women and Ty and Jace showed up.  

Elder White  and Holly in the background.

 Kyah and Ty. James says they spent the whole time together.

Some of the wood was black from the burn and the kids,

and adults got it on their faces.

Jace and Heaven

These kids are not afraid to get dirty.

Shelly and Kip Hunsaker.

Brother Blain Curtis

Unknown helper and Ty

Unknown helper and Ty

LeeAnn and Shelly

The group cut, loaded, hauled, and unloaded 14 cords of wood for the widows of Vernon, not just the LDS sisters but others in our community as well.

James arrived home this afternoon just before our daughter Kim arrived here from Chandler.  She needed a break from the remodeling project they are doing in their house.  This is the first time she has ever come up by herself. 

Kim and I went on a Razr ride together.  It's one of the things she loves to do when she comes up.  We got into a little rain, a little dust, and got hit by a few bugs.  We made the Christmas tree trail circle so we were gone about an hour.  

I bought Kim a stress relieving coloring book just like mine.  When we got back from our Razr ride we colored in our coloring books.  

I made spaghetti for dinner.  Kim had some but she also had her mixed green chili burro from Burger House.  James likes the spaghetti sauce, but he doesn't care for the noodles.  

Kim helped me clean the kitchen and then because all three of us were tired, we went to bed early.

I got a text before going to bed from Jen, our realtor.  We got an offer on the house in Chandler.  She said we will talk on Monday.

  
Stacy posted this picture of Michael and Alexis:

 

Friday, September 11, 2015

Today is the 13th anniversary of 9.11.01

 We will never forget.

I found this quote by Glenn Beck quite an eye-opener:

The world is moving further and further away from the 

gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today was grandparents day at Hancock School.  Sheri asked me a couple of weeks ago if I would go for Evan.  He has never had a grandparent come.  Marvin and Mary have come for Joshua the last couple of years, but said they probably couldn't come this year.  Joshua was very sad and I felt bad too.  Stacy called the school to see if I could do both classes and they said yes, so that's what I was planning on doing when I left for the school.  I went to Evan's class first.

 The teacher had the students divide into groups with about 3 students to one grandparent in a group.  I was with Evan, Landon and Zeke.  They all had a paper with 20 questions on it and they took turn asking me the questions.  It was fun.

I told Mrs. Kim, Evan's teacher that I needed to visit Joshua's class too so she called his class.  She came back and said that Joshua's grandpa was with him.  

Thanks Marvin for saving  the day and making Joshua so happy!

Joshua also came over to visit us for a few minutes.

I love these boys!

James finished the wood floor and it looks so much better!  He is taking his truck with the long flatbed trailer because he is taking his Cat do the wood cutting service project in Vernon tomorrow.  I was going to stay here until tomorrow to make sure the house and yard work got done for tomorrow's open house.  Stacy said she could handle it and that I should go home tonight.  She talked me in to it and I left around 5pm.  

I got gas at Sam's Club and stopped at Burger House for some burros.  I got two for James, one for me, and one for Kim who is coming up tomorrow.

I arrived at the cabin somewhere between 8:30 and 9.  Because James is getting up early to go to the temple with the youth we didn't have time to watch a movie so we read a chapter from "The Dancing Master" instead.  

Thursday, September 10, 2015

James had a meeting with Trina today.  She wants to help him with his business and they went over a game plan.  I believe Darrel was there too.  He will help her do bids, etc.  Trina is very ambitious and can accomplish anything she puts her mind to.

James asked Trina what her goals were regarding the business and this is what she said: 1) To earn money to save for a house, 2) To help James retire, and 3) To help care for Karen.  I love this girl!

James asked her what she thought her title should be and Darrel commented: "Vice-President of Operations.  And so it is.

We were on our way to pick up Adam this morning when he called and said Seth was picking him up.  Wish we would have known before we left.  Oh well, we brought our book so it wasn't a total loss.

Kim too me to lunch at Oregano's, but first we took Adam home.  Kim and I both have a tender spot in our hearts for Adam.  

Of course I got my favorite salad, the Vino Bambino.  Kim got her favorite salad, the Pablo Picasso.  I love visiting with Kim and I am so grateful that she is my daughter.  Thank you for lunch sweetie!

James took me to Sonic two times today to get drinks.  He also went into the bank and ordered new checks for me and then he took my car to Sears to get it lubed.  He told me he wishes he could retire so he could spend all of his time doing things for me.  I love this man!

Now James is playing Mr. Fixit, replacing the wood floor under the water cooler.

No, he didn't cut off his finger in spite of how this picture looks.

Someone in Phoenix is taking "pot shots" on the freeway.  So far there have been no deaths.

 

 

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Happy 91st Birthday President Nelson!

 Today at 10:45 I had an infusion at Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Center in Mesa.  After I was finished I hurried home and went to Jersey Mike's with James for lunch.  We came home to eat and I got to eat half my sub before leaving for my dental appointment at Dr. Douglas's.

My appointment was with the dental hygienist, Jackie, to get my teeth cleaned.  She knew about Stacy getting a job because Paul was in a couple of weeks ago.  I made appointments for both James and I in January.  He hasn't been in for over a year now.

After my afternoon nap I sorted through the very large pile of mail.  Afterwards James and I went shopping at Walmart.  We needed toilet paper and doggie treats.  I also got the most awesome coloring book.  Coloring is supposed to relieve stress.  I hope it works!

James is giving it a try.  He couldn't resist the owl.

James put new baseboard in the downstairs closet.  Now he has a new project to work on: The wood under the water cooler is wet and coming up off the floor.  It seems like it is always something.

 Our friend, Wendy DeWitt, who is on a mission in the Carribean with her husband Collin posted this picture today.  I told if that was what her mission was like that I was coming for a visit!

We are a little disappointed in Jared Ammon.  James advance him some money and we haven't seen him since.  Such a disappointment.