Saturday, February 20, 2016

Happy 41st birthday Sheri!

I texted Happy Birthday and also posted on Facebook.  James out did me with this post on Facebook:

"Happy birthday to my baby girl who made so many of my nights miserable as a baby, and caused me so much anxiety as a teenager and who made me so proud to be her dad as she excelled in high school and was married in the Mesa temple.  Happy birthday to the beautiful mother who has been raising and directing the lives of four of my amazing grandsons and has found the time to be so kind and considerate to others; especially her parents who are so grateful for her love and goodness and influence on those she has been given to love and cherish in her life.  Sheri, you truly have been a blessing to so many.  I love you forever."  Your Dad 

Sometimes James can be so eloquent!

I am tired this morning and try to get going because we have to go to town.  Finally I feel like getting ready to go.  It was after noon when we left.  We had family prayer and I read scriptures in the car.  We started the third book in our Highland Hall series.  This one is called "A Refuge at Highland Hall".

 This one is set in 1915 during WWI

I told James he could pick where we had lunch, and surprisingly he picked Grumpy Jakes, the barbecue place.  I didn't feel like barbecue so I ordered a green chili cheeseburger.  James made me look bad by ordering the cobb salad.  I did not regret my choice.  It was delicious.  I couldn't eat all of my cheeseburger so I got a to go box.  James kept stealing bites while we were in the car.  I think he realized he really missed out!

After lunch James dropped me off at Walmart while he went to Home Depot to get the specialty lightbulbs that go over our kitchen sink.  When he came back to pick me up, he loaded the groceries in the car for me.  When we got home we realized James left my 12 pack of Dr. Pepper 10 in the grocery cart.  Before we decided what we were going to do about this dilemma, we sat down and watched a movie.  This one was called "Finding a Family".  It was more serious than most of the movies we watch and was based on a true story.  It started out really depressing, but had a great ending!  This movie makes you realize how important it is for children to have a stable home life.  After our movies we decided to hunt down some Dr. Pepper 10.

Our first stop for the Dr. Pepper 10 search was the closest choice, Stanford store, but no luck.  Next Maverick, none.  Safeway, none.  Finally at Walmart James comes out with a 24 pk and says it's the last one in the store  I can't believe he was willing to do this for me!

( Of course, he is the one who forgot it in the first place.)

We came home and worked on our lessons, although Ed Miller will probably be teaching James's class because he still has laringitis.  

I coughed during the night and had to go to the recliner.

 

Friday, February 19, 2016

It's another beautiful day in Arizona!

While I was checking out and taking a picture of the sunrise, James was upstairs "checking out" the wildlife.  Somethings he does just about every morning and evening.  After the checks he comes down and gives me the report.

James fixed himself a big breakfast, but I settle for toast and Lois's homemade pineapple jam.  The jam is delicious!

I am feeling a little better today, so I go in to my computer to pay bills.  After working at the computer an hour or so I go get something to eat and lay down on the recliner to take a nap.  I can't use the bed because I am washing the sheets.  

I read scriptures to James because he has no voice.  I said our prayer and then we read from "The Daughter of Highland Hall."

I watched "A Crush on You", and then James and I went to the post office.  I was reading to James on the way back when Sheri called.  She took the day off and Alex and Ben missed school and they went on a hike with Joe and Michael.  

 This years birthday hike

Last years birthday hike.

I posted on my blog and then made German chocolate cupcakes for dinner.  We also had Tostitos and bean and cheese dip.  The bean dip is delicious and reminds us of Serrano's.  After dinner it's movie time!

 Olaf, waiting to be sent to Ruby.

 

 

Thursday, February 18, 2016

I love this picture!

It was taken about 14-15  years ago.

I am not sure why Ben wasn't in the picture.

James had an appointment with the audiologist in Show Low today to determine if he needs hearing aids.  He wanted me to go with him but I just wasn't feeling up to it.  You know I am sick when I won't go into town!  He does need a hearing aid in one ear.

James brought me back 2 1/2 sandwiches from Arby's.  I guess he wasn't sure what I wanted.  I ate the regular roast beef.  

James asked me to call Ed Miller to see if he would teach his class on Sunday, since James still doesn't have his voice back.  Ed is our bishop's dad and he is one of the funniest, most loving people I have ever met.  He's the only man besides James that can come up to me after sacrament meeting and give me a kiss on the cheek, call me sweetie,  and I won't think anything of it.

When I called, Ed answered the phone.  After my introduction he asks, "Oh, do you want to talk to "Sweet Thing"?  Sweet Thing is Debbie, his wife.  I just loved that he said that because it indicates to me how much he loves his wife.  If you ask Ed how his day was, he will respond, wonderful!, I've never had a bad one.  That's just the kind of guy he is, and yes, of course, he will teach the gospel doctrine class on Sunday. 

Debbie and Ed Miller

In 2010 Debbie had Leukemia.  She was in need of a bone marrow transplant.  She has made a remarkable recovery, although her health is still fragile at times.  This family has a great deal of faith.  When Debbie was diagnosed, the doctor's didn't give her family much hope of her surviving.

After reading a chapter from our book, James went upstairs to his office to work on his bid for Arizona Rehab's current job.  I took a long nap and then watched a few of the Mystery Woman Bookstore movies starring Kellie Martin.  They are my favorite Hallmark mysteries.  I also worked on my blog.

I got a text from my friend Linda Price asking me if I wanted to go to Relief Society tonight to here Brother Lauritzen speak on communication.  Brother Lauritzen is a marriage counselor and I was looking forward to going, but I was just too sick.  

James and I watched a movie tonight that we absolutely loved!  It's called, "Saving Sarah Cain".  It's about a woman whose Amish sister dies and she is given custody of her sisters five children.  It had such a sweet message and afterwards both James and I said we wanted to become Amish!  I saved it for Kim and Sheri to watch when they come up for spring break.

 The title is different here, but this is the movie.

 

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Glad I was in Vernon.

I woke up around 1:30 a.m. with extreme pain in my left groin.  I went to the kitchen, got something to eat and took some pain pills and laid down on the recliner.  Finally I was able to get comfortable and go to sleep.  

James left before six for the valley this morning.  He has a concrete pour at the house in Fountain Hills.  He insists he's coming home tonight but says he might be late.  He's a little concerned because he has lost his voice again.  

James was home before 7 p.m.  He brought me a tuna sandwich, a Polar Pop, and almond M&M's, all bought at Circle K.  He said he couldn't go through a drive thru because he has no voice.

I spent most of the day in the family room on my recliner watching Hallmark movies.  I have no energy and I am feeling pretty lousy.

This evening James and I read a chapter from our book and watched a Hallmark movie.  It was a good one!  Sorry, I forgot to write down the name.

 I think Lola could have been the Gerber baby!

 

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Our dear friends from Chandler,

Raylene and Mark Luke and their four children.

The weather here the last few days has been amazing.  It has been in the 60's and feels like spring is already here.  It is about 20 degrees warmer in the valley and I don't think most people who live there are ready for that.

I still don't feel very well today, but I did manage to get dressed and go in to town with James to run some copies of a plan he is working on and to pick up one of his prescriptions.  For lunch we went to Alibertos.  I had a beef taco and a carnitas taco.  

 My carnitas taco looks so pretty!

 James's machaca plate.

That's alot of food!

We also stopped at Panda and got some orange chicken and Shangai beef and fried rice for dinner.  

I blogged and watched a couple of movies this afternoon.  I have no energy and still have a cough, besides have a pain in my right groin and bumb.  I am expecting a miserable night.  

Sheri texted and said Alex is giving a talk on Sunday.  I wish we could be there to here it.  

Monday, February 15, 2016

Good morning sunrise.

The boys and James went out early to look for coyotes.  When they get back James fixes them steak, gravy and biscuits for breakfast, at Alex's request.  I fixed cinnamon rolls because I know that Michael does not like steak and gravy.  

I guess Carter was the all-around almost unbeatable, ping pong champ. 

The boys left after breakfast.  I sent two movie tickets down to Stacy because someone took one of the ones she got for her birthday.

No school today because of President's Day,

but Michael had to get back for track practice.

James and I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen together.  We then sat down and watched a movie.  Yes, it was one of those lazy kind of days.  I think the Actemera infusion I had on Friday compromised my immune system and I am getting sick again.  I have a cough and no energy.

After our movie James went upstairs to work and I did a couple of blog posts.  That's about all I accomplished today.

For FHE we set some goals together. 

Judge Scalia, one of the only conservatives on the Supreme Court, died this weekend while attending a function at someone's ranch in Texas.  It is yet to be determined if foul play was involved.

More deer in our yard today. 

 

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Happy Valentine's Day

James and I exchanged card this morning.  Mine from him was very sweet.  I really am so lucky!

I spent the morning preparing for Primary.  We left early so I could get set up.  Alex, Michael, and Carter attended sacrament meeting with us.  

I had Denice Hall's Primary class today.  She is speaking in Cibeque today with Bishop Hall.  This was the biggest class I have had since I started teaching Primary in this ward: Braylin, Curtis, Zemira, Kacey, and a girl named Riley were here from my class.  Riley says she lives in Round Valley with her dad but her mom lives in Vernon and she will be attending our ward.  I also had Joely, Tana, and Talena from Denice's class.  I gave them all Valentines after church and they all earned the 2nd Article of Faith for a candy bar next week.  

We went home and had lunch and took a nap.  The boys went on a hike.  I worked on my blog and then lost my entire post because I forgot to save it when I went to help fix dinner.  

James made steaks for us and pork chops for the boys.  We also had salad, corn, and rice pilaf.  After dinner James and I worked on our lessons.  The boys played ping pong, Scrabble and Hearts.

Alex, Michael, and Grandpa teaching Carter

how to play Hearts. 

Speaking of Hearts, Joe gave Kim and Brian's house a "heart attack."

 Kim says: "It's nice to be loved.

Thanks Joe."