Saturday, December 19, 2015

Happy 18th Birthday Michael!

A picture of Michael (on the left) and Dallin a few years back.  Those were the days!

We spent the morning getting ready to go to the valley.  We had planned on leaving around noon but it was actually 1:30.  Our car looked something like this:

 Well, maybe it was more like this:

Is that Santa we saw on the way:

We've got a bigger load than he does!

When we get into Show Low we wash the car get gas, and stop at Circle K for sandwiches and drinks.  I ask James to go the Payson way, and he does!

There was alot of drama going on via text as we were driving into Mesa.  Sheri's family got to Organ Stop for Michael's birthday a little early and it was packed.  There was no where to sit.  They didn't want to wait around so they left.  Michael's cake took longer than Stacy thought so she kept changing the time, which was a little upsetting.  The party ended up starting around 7 instead of 5:30.  Seven is a better time anyway because alot of the blue hairs are gone.  

All of Michael's brothers were there, which was nice for him.  He really liked the case I made him for his track medals.

 I guess I didn't get a picture of it.

 Friends and family singing to Michael

After the party James and I did a little shopping at Walmart for tomorrow, and then we "moved in" to Terry and Cathi's.  They let us put all of our gifts in the office.  The doggies were very happy to see us!

Something exciting happened in El Paso today.  Anna's friend Amanda got baptized and Anna did an awesome job speaking at the baptism.

The elders, Anna and Amanda

Congratulations!

Friday, December 18, 2015

Salt Lake temple

I was tired this morning.  I got up to study scriptures and pray.  I ate some breakfast, took my pain pills, laid down to rest and felt better.  I got up and read my scriptures, read from Jesus the Christ, studied this week's Sunday School lesson, and read two conference talks.  

James tries to clean the car, but it is still pretty muddy from being stuck yesterday.  

We had a lunch at Wes and Teresa Smith's today.  Pam and Rick Giles were there also.  Teresa made a green chili casserole which was quite tasty.  We also had chips and salsa.  James and I brought some corn and some broccoli.  

After our lunch we went into town to Book Barn to get calendars for Christmas presents.  We had to take a detour coming home because of an overturned propane truck.  

Harold and Vickie came out this evening to help James with the satellite.  They brought us a Christmas present that Harold made, and we gave them a calendar and also sent one home for Dennis and Denise.

 Now all we have to do is add everyone's birthdays!

 Harold worked for over an hour but couldn't get the satellite to work.  He told James what he needed to do and said he would come back when James was ready.  Thanks, Harold.

Of course we watched a Christmas movie before we went to bed.

 

Thursday, December 17, 2015

A bald eagle in our tree

Today is the day I am fixing lunch for my visiting teaching companion and the sisters we visit teach.  I was up at six to get the potato soup started and the rolls.  I also got out my calico critters and my Disney tree.

Seven families of Calico Critters

I am very upset with myself.  I did not get a picture of the Disney tree, nor did I take a picture of any of my guests.  I must have been so busy getting everything ready that I forgot.  James helped me my decorating the Disney tree.  

I got a call from Elida Pope this morning saying she wouldn't be able to come because her car broke down.  When I told James, he said he would be happy to go get her.  She lives about 30 miles away over some pretty rough roads.  

My partner, Lorraine Tieman got here early and helped me set the table for the adults and one for Elida's three boys.   Hailey and her baby Hunter came next.  James and Elida, Ethan, Eli, and Edmund were a little late.  James helped finish the soup and helped me get everything on the table.  We have one sister that we visit, Jean Howard, who won't be here.  She is in the valley today.

 Even though I didn't get a picture of the Disney tree, I got plenty of this one.

For lunch we had potato soup, rolls, strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed dressing, and homemade macaroni and cheese. To drink we had Shirley Temples.  I told them about having Christmas dinner at the Maxwell House and making Shirley Temples.

Edmund, who is two, said: "MMmmm" when he tasted the macaroni and cheese.  He had two servings.  

For dessert Lorraine made red velvet cupcakes and snickerdoodle cookies.  Lorraine also gave the lesson.  I had a handout to go with the lesson with a quote attached.

The lesson was on compassion and kindness.

Hailey had to leave at 2:20 to pick up her daughter Taylor at school in Show Low.  Lorraine left too and so did James and Elida and the boys.  James did most of the dishes before he left.  He was gone 2 1/2 hours because he got stuck and a good Samaritan had to come and pull him out.  

After finishing the kitchen I rested by the Christmas tree.  It is so beautiful I love looking at it.  I also had a roll with some of Lorraine's homemade raspberry jam.  It was delicious.  

Blain and Diana Curtis came by this evening and brought us a Christmas gift.  

Before going to bed we watched a Christmas movie.  I love the Hallmark channel.

 

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Our friends Blain & Diana Curtis

Today we went to lunch with our dear friends Blain and Diana Curtis.  When Blain got in the car he said: "How are our best friends doing"?  What a nice thing to say.  We enjoy them so much!  I worked with Diana in Young Women's and really do miss working with her.  They are both great people!

We went to Licano's and while we were there we saw some more friends from our Vernon ward, Jim and Linda Diewald.  I went over to say hello and visited with them a few minutes.  I was Linda's visiting teacher and got to know them quite well.  They have two grandchildren on missions, a boy in Kentucky, and a girl in Uruaguay.  I am happy for them but it reminded me that we have four grandchildren old enough to serve mission and none of them have gone.  

We had a nice visit with the Curtis and we all said we should do it again soon.

Happy 16th Birthday Ben!

One of the nicest and most fun boys I know!

Ben has always been fun-loving! 

Instead of finishing my decorating, I watched Christmas movies with James.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Just a pretty picture I found

My weather app says it is 18 but feels like 5.  What does that even mean?  It is so confusing.

I had an epiphany as I was studying my ponderize scripture today.  I figured out what it meant by the evil gift.  I wrote about it in my gospel study journal.  

Today I read the chapter about the crucifixion in Jesus the Christ.  James and I read from Revelations in the New Testament and in 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon.  

I am still decorating the house, but I am slow.  I stopped to watch a Christmas movie: "A Family for Christmas."  

James cleared off the ice and snow from the front porch and from the bedroom balconies.  He is still having troubles hooking up the satellite.  I tried to help, but we still couldn't figure it out.

Early this evening we started out for town.  We stopped at the post office and picked up our Star Shower lights.

Love these lights!

We liked the Star Shower lights so well that I ordered another two sets to really light up our house.  

As we are going down the 60 towards Show Low, the phone rings.  It's Chris Skousen.  He had made an appointment to visit us tonight and wondered where we were.  Luckily we hadn't gone too far so we turned around and went home to find Chris and Ed Miller waiting outside our door.  They brought us cookies and we had a nice visit with them.  Ed told us about living in Alaska when his two oldest children were young.  All I can say is, Debbie is a saint!

After our visit, we headed back for town.  Our first stop was at Sonic for burgers and then we headed for Walmart.  I bought some scented pinecones and some other items.  I ended up spending $99.  On the way home we got gas and a carwash.

When we returned home we put the things away that we had bought and went to bed.

 

Monday, December 14, 2015

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

The wind is blowing the snow away and the sun is shining...but it's supposed to snow by 9am...., it didn't happen.

 

Because National Bank was closed Saturday I discovered that I could make a photo deposit on my phone. I was grateful we wouldn't have to go to town until I received an email from National Bank saying my deposit was rejected and I needed to call customer service, which I did.  I was put on hold the first time for 15 minutes and then was cut off.  I called back and was helped by someone named Sheri.  She put me on hold and then came back and said my check was rejected and she couldn't say why, except that maybe it was the squigily in the amount column.  I said I thought that was ridiculous.  She apologized and said we would have to go into town to make the deposit.

 

We got ready and left for town a little after ten.  We could see the clouds coming as we left.  Before we were halfway to Show Low it was snowing.  The sky disappeared in a white fog.

 

We made a deposit at National Bank and then we went to Show Low where I shopped for my visiting teaching luncheon scheduled for Thursday.  James helped me do my shopping which made it go a little faster.  Again, Walmart is filled with people.  School was cancelled and I wonder if people were bored and came shopping instead of staying at home in front of the fire.

 

Walmart parking lot.

 

It was almost a whiteout on the way home.  

 Crazy weather to drive in!

One of the sisters we visit teach, Jean Howard, never answers my phone calls.  I tried to call her again today.  When she didn't answer, I called my partner Lorraine Tieman, and ask if she would call Jean.  Jean answered her call.  Jean is in the valley and may be back by Thursday.  She said she might be able to come to our luncheon.

 

When we got home I got a call from Teresa Smith inviting us to come to lunch at her house on Friday.  The Giles's are going to be there too.  

 

On the way home from town we stopped at the post office.  I had a couple of packages, two of James's Christmas presents came.  We also stopped at Rosa Westbrook's and picked up some tamales she made for us.  When James told her we missed her yesterday she said: "I told him he crazy.  I been to church for 3 hours and I need to stay home and rest."  She is so funny, a sweet little lady from Mexico.

 

Stacy posted this on Facebook today:

"Yesterday during church, at a very reverent moment, Joshua turns to me and cups my face saying: 'Mom, you are the most beautiful girl that ever lived and if anybody says otherwise I will punch them in the face.' Ummm...how am I supposed to deal with that?"

 Ready to defend his mom's beauty.

You gotta love this kid!

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Happy Birthday Carmen!

 Such a cutie!

James's sister Carmen is one of the most talented people I know.  She also has a great fun-loving personality! We wish she lived a little closer so we could see her more often.

 Carmen makes some awesome cakes!

We had to de-ice our windshield this morning before leaving for church.  James measured 10 and 1/2 inches of snow on his truck.  

We had some sunshine today, but it was very cold.

Brother O'Dair from the high council and Brother Peeler from our ward were the speakers in sacrament meeting today. Brother O'Dair's son David was the youth speaker.  He ask how we can become better leaders and his answer was, by following Jesus Christ.  The other two speakers spoke on leading by following Christ.  It was a great meeting.

I noticed Pam and Rick Giles attended our ward today.  I guess they didn't move to Snowflake, but were just trying out another ward when they attended there.

Today during sharing time we took pictures of all the children in Primary.  The Primary is in charge of the front of the sacrament meeting bulletin for January and February and the pictures of the Primary children will be featured there.

Small Primary 

My class is on the far left with Zemira, Braylin, Kacey, Joely, and

Talena.  Ashten is right in the middle in front of Macy who is the tallest girl in Primary.

My class plus Macy, Dakota, and Taylor.

James and I went home and had something to eat.  He went in the bedroom to take a nap and I laid down in the recliner in the family room.  He told me Brother Westbrook wanted to come home teaching but that he would call first.  The doorbell rings the same time it does in the movie I am watching.  The girl in the movie is asleep on the couch just like me!

It is Brother Westbrook at the door.  I go get James up and we greet Brother Westbrook.  The lesson for this month is on loving service.  We had a nice visit and he told us his wife Rosa was going to come with him but she had a previous engagement.  

I go visiting teaching with James because his partner, Rick Lauritzen, jlis sick.  We visit the Scott's and their 3 year old great grandson, Adrian.  We also visit the Wallace's where we almost got stuck in the snow.  Our visit with the Wallace's in their beautiful home was cut short because their neighbors got stuck and came to George to rescue them.  I told George I was grateful for all of the service he gives.  Tomorrow is his birthday.  

We had fried chicken and cilantro wontons for dinner.  Someone left them in our freezer.  

James and I arranged substitutes for our classes next week.  Ed Miller is teaching for James and the Primary President and my visiting teacher, Becky Skousen is teaching my class.  She told me she would anytime I needed her to.  I promised her I would not ask her too often.

We watched "A Boyfriend for Christmas" and "The 12 Days of Clhristmas."