Friday, January1, 2016

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Trezise's and Joshua left a little while after breakfast.

Michael, Alex, Connor, and Daniel left before James was finished with the steak and gravy.  Alex was a little disappointed because he loves steak and gravy but I guess someone needed to get home.  Connor told us: "Thank you for your hospitality."  I really like him, he is a nice kid.

Joshua slept in until almost 10.  I guess he was very comfortable on our recliner.  For those who didn't want steak and gravy, I made cinnamon rolls, and Sheri made pancakes.  We were all "well fed", except for Trina who had a banana for breakfast.  

Sheri, Ben, James Hayden, and I played a game of Five Crowns before the Trezise's left for home.  Ben won!  

I got a text from Joe this morning asking if it would be okay for him, Amanda, and their friend Justin to come up today.  I told him that would be fine. 

Here are some of the things we did today:

James took Addy and Emmy on the Razr and then pulled them on sleds.  Addy was so cold when she returned.  James H. told her to sit down and he would get her some macaroni and cheese. (So thoughtful!).  Rowan went the second time with them and had a blast!  I was sad for him because all of his friends left.

I had him make Jenga Fett for me.

Anna and Amanda went on a Razr ride by themselves.

Molly insists she and Ruby get to go for a ride because Emmy and Addy got to go so Jared takes the before Ruby leaves for home.

 Love that smile!

A couple of cute smiles!

Darrel, Addy, and Rowan brought up their bows and did some target practicing.  Darrel's is a powerful crossbow and I saw him out looking for arrows a couple of times.

Emmy played the piano.

We watched a little TV.

We took a Lambson cousin picture before Darrel's

family left.  I don't think Lola wanted her picture taken.

Joe, Amanda, and Justin came for a while.  They went on a Razr ride and then spent most of their time upstairs playing Rockband.

They went into town for dinner and when they returned they found out Justin had to be to work very early tomorrow, so they left for home.

Jared fixed burgers for dinner.  After dinner Emmy said she was still hungry, so she had a bowl of cereal.  

I am either trying to watch or erase all of my Christmas movies.

   

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Happy Birthday Kimmy!

 2014 at Christmas time.

Brian and Kim were going to come up and celebrate her birthday at the cabin but they were both too sick.  Stacy and Paul are sick too.  Stacy has bronchitis.  

Jared took James, Emmy and Molly skiing today.  Anna and Amanda preferred to sleep in.  The kids had a blast skiing  Jared said Emmy was a natural. 

  Jared, James, Emmy, and Molly

Sheri and I watched "The Christmas Kiss", and then I made cherry chiffon desert.  Sheri made ham and rolls for everyone.

Ian takes charge.

Darrel and Trina joined us this afternoon.  Trina made seven layer dip to go with out ham and rolls, etc.  

After dinner James and I drove Anna and Amanda to the youth New Year's dance at the Show Low stake center.  

James got a ticket coming down the hill to the Y.  We were still in Apache county.  He was going 64 in a 55 zone.  The officer said he was wasting finite resources. (The worse excuse I've ever heard for giving someone a ticket.)

.Anna and Amanda had a blast at the dance.  James took them in and introduced them to some of the kids from Vernon.  Tamara and Jimmy Applegate said they would bring them home.  I am grateful to the boys who ask these two out of town girls to dance!

Back at the house we played games, had snacks, and made smores in the fireplace.  We sat talking by the Christmas tree until it was time for the fireworks.  

Molly didn't quite make it until midnight.

The kids loved playing chess

The Lambson cousins and Amanda

Headbanz is always a popular game

 

After the fireworks it was past midnight so most of us went to bed.  Joshua slept on our recliner.  I counted.  There were 24 people who stayed here tonight.  Addy said she looked for a bed but couldn't find one so she and Emmy slept on the couch.

Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Carol Ray, her husband Roger Decker, and Carol's boys with their wives and children.

James and I had a nice visit with Molly this morning before anyone else was up.  When everyone else was up they opened their Christmas presents. 

A birds eye view of the Christmas tree and fireplace.  When Molly opened her singing Elsa doll she said: "Oh, another one of these."  Nice.  She did like the big Frozen coloring book and Frozen blanket I got her.  

I gave James $50, General Grievous Lego set, and a polar bear blanket.  Anna got an adult coloring book like mine, markers, colored pencils,  a bracelet, and a Batman blanket.  Emmy got a complete set of Harry Potter books, which she seemed very excited about, a blanket, yoyo, game and a bracelet.  Molly also got a bracelet.  I gave Amanda a blanket so she would have something to open.  Jared got the Ninja blender I got for Dawn until I found out she already had one.

Alex, Michael, Daniel, and Connor arrived this morning.  They came in Daniel's SUV.  Daniel's grandparents have a place up here so he has been to Vernon before.

Sheri, Ian, Ben, Max, Evan, and Joshua arrived later this afternoon.  I am very grateful to Sheri for bringing Josh.  Paul and Stacy are both sick and it wouldn't have been very fun for him at home.  

Sheri opened the food processor I got her.  She was excited to try it out making salsa but Ian accidentally broke off one of the buttons so we couldn't get it to work.  I told her I would take it back and get her another one.

Jared took his kids to the movies and then out for pizza.  Alex and friends went out and played in the snow.  The rest of us just hung out here at home.  This evening Sheri and I watched a movie.

Molly with the doll that "cowboy"

grandpa gave her.  Cowboy grandpa is

Tricia's grandpa.

  

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

The Wilhelm family

John and baby George, Sandra, Trenda, Talon, Alice

Johnny, Ruthie, Curtis, Zemira, and Andy

We love the Wilhelm's!

It's snowing!  It snowed off and on most of the day, but we only accumulated a couple of inches.  

This morning James and I read Revelations 20 and Moroni 5-7.  I also read Jeffrey R. Holland's talk, "Behold Thy Mother", and "it's Never Too Early and It's Never Too Late", by Elder Bradley D. Foster.

James worked on taxes, hooked the upstairs TV up (no small miracle!) and hung the Gilbert temple picture that Jared gave us for Christmas.  He also went to Stanford store and got bread, milk, and eggs.  I went with him and read from Wuthering Heights.  At this point we just want to finish this book so we can go on to something else.

Alex, Michael, and their friends Daniel and Connor were going to come up late tonight but because it has been snowing we didn't know how clear the roads would be so we convinced them to wait and come in the morning.

 Not much snow, but the trees are frosty

Jared and his kids got here at midnight.  I was already in bed but James went out to say hello.

 James, Molly, Anna, Emmy, and Amanda

Monday, December 28, 2015

The Hunsakers:
Holly, Kilee, LeeAnn, Stephanie, Tyler, and Sean.
Tyler leaves on his mission in a couple of weeks.

James saw lots of wildlife today.  He saw a coyote, a tree squirrel, cottontails, two bluejays, two bald eagles, and 27 elk all in our yard.  On our way to town we saw 6 deer less than a 1/2 mile from our house.

Some of our elk

 On our trip to town we went to the bank, Grumpy Jake's for lunch, Walmart, and Sonic for a drink.  I read to James from Wuthering Heights.  Neither one of us is enjoying this book very much.

I bought Sheri a food processor at Walmart to help cheer her up.  She makes homemade salsa and I know it will come in handy. 

We watched two Hayley Duff Christmas movies this evening.

James gave all the kids a letter on Christmas day.  Sheri and Ian read it to their kids tonight for F.H.E.  Sheri said it was really neat.

 

  

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Jared's Facebook post

 Almost a foot of snow in El Paso

Since they have no snow plows most of the roads are closed and so church was cancelled.  Tricia and the kids are stuck in Albequerque.

I love seeing the mountains in the background.

I was up early this morning to prepare for my Primary lesson and prepare the stockings for my kids for Christmas since I wasn't here last week.  

The Star says Immanuel.  The ornament has a picture of Christ

in it and says, "Come Unto Christ."  I also had a packet of hot chocolate in the mug.  The scriptures are the mini-editions of all the standard works.

This is our last lesson on the New Testament.  Next week we start the Book of Mormon.  All of the girls in my class will be moving on to Sister Hall's class, except Kacey.  The boys, Zemira and Braylin will stay in my class and I will also have Curtis Wilhelm.

 Elmer passed away this week

The family wants everyone to know that

Elmer's Tacos is not closing!

James went home teaching this afternoon and we also had tithing settlement.  We really do love and appreciate Bishop Miller!

I have a new visiting teaching companion, Corrina Westbrook.  I will still visit the sisters I have been visiting along with Claire Mercado who is inactive.  The good news is she is Amy Reynolds daughter and I love Amy!

When Harold and Vickie were here the other night working on the satellite they brought our Christmas gift.

Homemade gifts are the best!

Saturday, December 26, 2015

The Case family and some Lambson's too!

We had steak and gravy with Cathi and Terry this morning, courtesy of James.  (Thanks to Terry for providing the elk.)

  

We washed the sheets and bedspread on the bed where we sleep before loading up the car and leaving for home.  It is suppose to snow.  Jared meets Camie for breakfast and then leaves for home too. The forecast says that it is supposed to snow in El Paso too.

We stopped at the Burger House and got toastados and chicken tacos.  They were ok, but not the best we've ever had.  

We had snow in Vernon, but Jared had more in El Paso.  He said it was snowing so badly that he had to go 15 mph on the freeway.  El Paso drivers aren't use to driving in the snow.

We unloaded the car and watched: