Wednesday, January 7th, 2026: Bday cards to Jarred M. & Anna, anxiety abounds, AZ Meat Mrkt to give Chelsea Jarred's card, we mail Anna's in Vernon,

 

After scriptures this morning James and I signed birthday cards for Jarred MacArthur and Anna. 

I am feeling anxious, I guess it's time to go into town. James came with me. We stopped at Arizona Meat Market to give Chelsea, Jarred's birthday card. His birthday is on Saturday when we will be in the valley. We mailed Anna's card at the Vernon post office. We got a gift from Jared & Kacey in the mail. It's a digital photo frame. I am anxious to get it set up and hope I can do it myself.

It was cloudy and overcast today, making it quite cool. 

It was nice to visit Chelsea, and Boone, in the family store. Not only do they sell meat but they have a little store set up with jams, cookies, etc. We were going to buy some cherry jam and a peanut butter sourdough cookie but Chelsea insisted she wanted to give them to us. She said because she never delivered a Christmas gift to us. We were very appreciative.

The Crunchy Mama lives in Vernon

Cherry flavored, James's favorite

One of our plans in coming in to town was to go for a walk in the park. I wanted to do it first and then have lunch at El Charro because I thought it might rain later.  James wanted to go shopping at Home Depot and Walmart first, so that's what we did.

After finishing at Home Depot James came over to Walmart to pick me up. I was still shopping. He saw me looking at women's clothes in the front of the store. I didn't see him. He thought he would play a trick on me and hide what he thought was my basket. He was hiding with a basket of groceries when a woman came up to him and said:

"I believe you have my basket." James replied: "I think this is my wife's basket." "No, I am sorry, it is my basket. The joke was on James and he was quite embarrassed about it. He laughed when he told me so I guess he's over being embarrassed.

We stopped at Harbor Freight because James needed something that they didn't have at Home Depot. China Buffet is close by and he asked if I wanted some hot & sour soup on this cold, wintery day. I said, "maybe another day." I had my heart set on a taco today. 

One more stop, Tractor Supply, for horse feed. Finally we made it to El Charro for my taco. 

We like their salsa and they warm their chips, which is a nice feature. James ordered a beef tostada and I ordered two tacos, a pastor and a shredded beef. I like the pastor the best. It was small chunks of pork and came with guacamole, shredded lettuce, tomato and onion. James was surprised that his tostada didn't come with beans. 

By the time we came out of El Charro it was raining so, no walk in the park today. Another day. I was a little disappointed.

The Crane's have finally started digging their well. We could hear the rig going in the snowstorm we had this evening. 

We read more of our trust this evening. James thinks the revisions are going to take awhile. I don't think so. My plan is to type them up, either call Chase Bank to see if they have someone to look over them to make sure they are legit, or call an attorney and do likewise, after they have been notarized. 

I paid our December tithing and fast offerings this evening.

"As the Lord hastens His work, we should love, nurture, and serve those who accept His gospel."

- Elder Quentin L. Cook

Looks like Molly has a boyfriend,

and a nice tan.

Tom found a new place to sleep

Ian's mom Betty with Ian & Sheri's boys and Cayli

I love a cozy fire on a snowy, winter night

 

Tuesday, January 6th, 2026: RMN 2022 to YA, Moses 1 is so amazing! Timeshare, Town by myself TJ Maxx, Dollar Tree, Goodwill, ordered "granny pants", 12,000 steps, James's beans

President Eyring has served as a counselor

in the First Presidency to four different presidents.

As part of  our "Come Follow Me" study this morning we read President Nelson's talk to the young adults in 2022 where he told them their most important identities were:

* A child of God

* A child of the covenant

* A disciples of Jesus Christ

Moses 1 is so amazing. The experience Moses has with God and all that he sees.

I went to town by myself this morning. I told James awhile back that I loved going to T.J. Maxx. He said I should make a weekly visit. This was my first stop. I bought two rolls of discounted Christmas wrapping paper, and that was it. I did enjoy looking at the women's clothes, but most everything, except the clearance rack, was too expensive.

I dropped off a load at Goodwill then went across the street to Dollar Tree. I found some 3x5 notebooks and pencils to use as handouts for my RS lesson. The talk is Elder Kearon's on new beginnings and I'm giving the sisters notebooks to write their "new beginnings" or goals for the new year in. I also bought January's greeting cards. Birthday cards for: Anna, Aunt Faye, and James, and an anniversary card for Jared & Kacey. I also bought six pieces of Cellos chocolate covered cherries, three for me and three for James, and a small bag of jerky for myself.

When I got home I ordered a pair of "granny" pants from Amazon and did two blog posts. I also walked 12,000 steps. I'm really getting in to the groove. 

I asked Sheri if she wanted to go to the Gilbert temple on the 15th and she said yes and that she would make our appointments. My infusion is on the 14th and we will stay overnight at Stacy & Paul's. 

I also made a reservation at our timeshare for the week of May31-June 6. 

During our living trust meeting this evening James found the deed to the land here in Vernon, but still no deed to the cabin. He is going to talk to Rocket Mortgage, the company we have our mortgage with and see if they have it.

James is enjoying the homemade beans I made for him.

I love this quote!

My new dress 

James's new shirt

Lovie looks like she is really listening!

 

Monday, January 5th, 2026: Brian's rib is better, they leave for home, Rana Mortensen @ Nexa Lending, Culver's for my salad, "Follow Him", Walmart - boxes & file folders to get organized, Bert Carpenter, walked 11,600 steps

 

We will miss them

Do I feel God's love today?

Brian's rib is much better this morning. Before leaving for home Brian gave me the name of their friend Rana Mortensen who works at Nexa Lending. She sent me the name of a loan officer, Bert Carpenter, who does reverse mortgages. Kim says Rana is one of her all-time favorite people and when Rana emailed me information, she said the same thing about Kim. 

I decided I wanted to talk to Janna about quitting Bunco. She was very understanding and said she would find someone to take my place. A few minutes later she texted and said Mattie Sedig was happy to take my place. Thank you Janna.

James was very sweet today. He knows I am struggling and wants to help. I asked if we could go to town and get my salad and he said yes. I gave him a big hug. 

On our way to town we listened to "Follow Him." It always helps me to feel better. We shopped at Walmart together, something we rarely do. We bought storage boxes and file folders as part of our goal to get organized. 

Next stop was Culver's for my cashew chicken salad. James ordered shrimp and it was delicious. While we were eating Bert Carpenter from Nexa Lending called. James told him that we wanted to see about getting a reverse mortgage on our home. Bert said he would send us some information to get us started. 

This afternoon James was going to call Vistana about our timeshare commitment. We can't find where to pay our maintenance fees and they are always due the first part of January. He wanted to talk to someone in the real estate department, but instead of making the call he went outside to split wood. He would much rather do something physical than to talk on the phone. It's supposed to be cold on Thursday and Friday and maybe even snow and he wants to have some wood stacked up ready to build fires. 

This evening we went over our living trust, reading it and taking notes. We want Kim & Brian to be the executor's of our will. We have changes to make and are committed to make this a priority for 2026. 

Kacey sent me photos of Charlie's Christmas morning, and more of Nauvoo. I am so excited to post them.

I walked 11,600 steps today.

"Living the gospel of Jesus Christ includes making room for all in His restored Church."

- Elder Gerrit W. Gong, OGC 2025

James

Anna

Emmy

Molly

Looking back

Lola & Evan had a thing

for each other

Ruby or Lola

(I think it's Lola)

Ruby for sure

Jared, Charlie & Kacey

at Stacy & Paul's

Sunday, January 4th, 2026: Fast & Testimony meeting, "The Power of Fasting" by Shayne M. Bowen, Brian & Kim, chiropractic adjustment in Snowflake, Tarwater's & Montgomery's,

Names of Jesus Christ

One of Brian's gifts to Kim

I need an attitude adjustment. I read "The Power of Fasting" and felt the power. I fasted this morning.

Brian's rib still hurts from yesterday. We didn't think he would make it to church, but he did. We sat in the back row as we always do when Kim and Brian come. Some of our friends, Willy Grombach, Brother Hipps, and Roger Wallace, all came back to say hello. Brian & Kim's friends, Neil & Kim Tarwater were here and Brian spoke with Neil while Kim came back to talk to Kim, and us. The Montgomery's, Dave & Tammy were here too.

I talked with Susan Crane as Tina Allen asked me to. Their family will clean on Saturday while James & I will clean on Thursday. Saturday is Aunt Faye's 90th birthday party. 

Brother Dobson conducted the meeting. He made one mistake, he called Alicia Hunsaker, who led the music, Sister Golly. 

I loved Kristine Hipps' testimony. I was also touched by Brother Brown's testimony about how he learned to treat a difficult child with patience, love, and kindness. He then bore testimony that Heavenly Father does the same thing for us.

I am struggling mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Being at church is helping. I didn't feel like going to Sunday School, but I went anyway. Kim & Brian left after sacrament meeting to go to Snowflake where someone named Rod is going to do a chiropractic adjustment for Brian. 

Brother Applegate's lesson on an introduction to the Old Testament was good. He was very prepared with lots of discussion questions and power point slides. Did I feel the Spirit? I am not sure, but I am glad that I stayed. 

At home we broke our fast. We are fasting for better health, work, and personal peace. I will pay our fast offerings this week when I pay our tithing so our fast will be complete.

I had a 1:30 appointment with Brother Tesarek to get my temple recommend renewed. James drove me. My friend Pat Tedder was there too for a temple recommend interview. Her interview was with Brother Dobson.

Brother Tesarek said I was his first ever adult recommend interview and he hoped I wouldn't mind if he read the questions. Of course not.

I passed! Now on to the stake. Next week is our ward conference and hopefully I can get my recommend signed by the stake after the block.

I saw a Christmas post by Jeanne Wallen on Facebook messenger where she sent snowman hats to all of her kids and grandkids. There were pictures of James & Sadie, Anna & Shaun, Emmy & her boyfriend, and Molly. I decided I was going to ask Jeanne if she would send me addresses for all of the kids. She was happy to do it. Now I can send them birthday cards. Anna's birthday is the 17th of January so she will be first.

James heard that his friend Greg Anderson had suffered a stroke. Greg called him back while we were out on a Sunday drive. It was a mini-stroke and he is okay.

This evening Kim and I watched the latest Hallmark movie starring Lacey Chabert & Ian Harding, "Lost in Paradise." We really enjoyed it and decided that Ian Harding is one of our new favorites.

I went to bed around 8, taking two of our purple sleeping pills. I have stomach pains and a sense of not belonging in this world. What am I looking for? James is so supportive and such a sweetheart.

The only one in the world?

These are Tim Lambson's twins and their 

big sister Mel.

He-man Brian

I heard Elder Soares collects mini-nativities.

I think I want to do that too, beginning with

this one.

 

Saturday, January 3rd, 2026: Cathi's birthday, timeshare frustrations, ordered kitchen lights, Darrel's elk video, Goodbye Ben & Cayli, Christmas decor is gone, James log splitter & the dump, Kacey's Mom's day at the temple

 

Ben & Cayli

"As we make and honor our covenants, we bind ourselves to the Savior, gaining greater access to His mercy, protection, sanctification, healing and rest."

Happy Birthday Cathi Lambson. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Something is going on with our timeshare. I went online to see about paying our maintenance fees and there was no balance shown. I was able to make our reservation the week of our anniversary without paying the fees, something that couldn't be done in the past. I did notice that they are now charging $30 a day per car for parking. I guess that's okay if there is no maintenance fee to pay. I later found out, through James, who is trying to find out who he can talk to about selling, that Sheraton Desert Oasis is being audited.

Darrel & Trina made a quick trip to Farmington, New Mexico to look around. On the way they saw a huge herd of elk and Darrel sent James the video. If I could post videos on here, I would, but they never seem to work. 

My feelings of hope for the future are slipping. I am suffering from a little anxiety and depression. I want James to be able to retire, but if he does, how will we survive? I think the answer is a reverse mortgage. We need to get the ball rolling!

Kim made a comment today about Adam being stuck in adolescence. I think she is right and I am so concerned for him.

Ben and Cayli left this morning. I can honestly say we enjoyed their visit. I told them to come back this summer and we would take them to Greer.

I texted with Sheri a little today, telling her that I missed her. I told her that Kim and I had talked about doing a family party before Darrel & Trina leave. She thought that was a good idea. It will probably be sometime in March.

I swept and mopped our bathroom floor and cleaned out the bathtub. It's amazing how much dust we get in this house!

I did my walking today and worked on my blog. Kim got all the lights off the tree. Brian took it apart and put it away. Christmas is gone except for the wreath on the front door.

Later this evening Kim, Brian, and I were watching a Christmas movie, "A Suite Holiday Romance." When it was over, Brian got up and heard something pop on his right side. He thinks he hurt his rib when he took the tree downstairs. He was pretty miserable and went to bed.

James fixed the log splitter today and made a trip to the dump with the entire back of his truck filled with our garbage and the two Crane families. I didn't see much of him today.

Today was Kacey's mom's 77th birthday. She has not been to the temple for 25 years. Today she went, surrounded my her family, and was sealed to her parents. Afterwards, they all did a session together.

Congratulations! 77th birthdays are the best!

What a wonderful day!

    

Friday, January 2nd, 2026: Goals for 2026, "The Everlasting Covenant," trip to town for kitchen lights, K&B on the way! Paula Dean's mac & cheese, Sheri's Kentucky butter cake, taking the tree down,

 

    At 7 a.m. I arose from my bed for the day. I guess my new year's schedule starts on Monday. 

    James and I had our family prayer, read from the Book of Mormon and listened to President Nelson's talk, "The Everlasting Covenant" as part of our "Come Follow Me" study. What a powerful talk! I have a notebook which I am filling with all of President Nelson's conference talks from the time he was called as a prophet. I also have a talk that he gave at a BYU devotion in 1988, "Thanks for the Covenant," Covenant making and keeping has been a theme of his talks since he was called as an apostle in 1984. As I read the Old Testament this year I will be doing it through the lens of covenants. 

    We took a trip to town again today, this time for kitchen lights, the ones over the sink which seem to be burned out. I texted Ben to see if they wanted anything in town. He said they would like to make 'smores on one of grandpa's fires. I told him I would get the ingredients. 

    James dropped me off at Walmart while he went to Home Depot and then Lowe's. While I was waiting for him I ordered a small cheeseburger from Carl's Jr. and ate half of it, saving the other half for James. 

    Kim & Brian are coming, they left their place in Chandler at 12:12! Yay! The fix was easy, something to do with something coming loose in the exhaust system. 

    When Kim and Brian get here, things begin to happen. Kim brought the Kentucky butter cake that Sheri made her for her birthday. Brian makes and heats up some butter sauce to go over it. It was quite tasty! Kim also brought two sugar cookies, one for James unfrosted, and one for me, frosted. She also brought Ben some Chi cookies. 

    James discovered that the lights over the sink were not burned out, just a loose connection. He went to return the lights and try to find some new ones for the next row of lights in the kitchen. He can't find what he wants so we decide to order them on Amazon

    Kim made Paula Dean's macaroni and cheese. It is labor intensive, including bacon, which Brian baked in the oven, several different kinds of cheeses, and a crusted panko topping. Kim also made garlic bread and a salad. We all sat down together, all six of us, and I blessed the food. A delicious meal. Thank you Kim, and Brian for being the sous chef. Brian and I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.

    Next Kim, with help from Brian on the higher branches, took all of the decorations off the tree. She started on the lights, but they will take awhile. I offered to help but she as a system and likes doing it on her own,. 

    Tom was happy to see Kim & Brian. He followed Kim around outside while she was walking. I did 11,000 steps for the second day in a row. Woohoo. 

                                           Elder Wilhelm, the short one.

Goodbye tree

Cousin Rita & family in Rome

Charlie

    

Thursday, January 1, 2026: Cleaned the Vernon chapel w/ the Allen's, Wlmrt: Tramadol, protein bars, Culver's and gas, BM & CFM, James cuts pinetree for widows woodpile, Inklings, txtd Rowan & Evan,

 

    It's a new year and I have a new format for my blog. It's going to be more like a journal and more simplified. I need to organize and simplify my life and this is one way I am doing it.

    We cleaned the Vernon chapel this morning at 9 a.m. with Steve & Tina Allen. I told them what a privilege it was for us to clean the chapel with them every January.

    I vacuumed classrooms and the Relief Society room, which took a long time. James cleaned the chapel. He is very thorough. Tina emptied the trash and cleaned the windows. Steve vacuumed the halls, overflow, and cultural hall. He made sure the rooms in the opposite hallway, the Primary, YW's and classrooms were all clean. We were done in an hour. Bishop Crane's family will do the kitchen and all of the bathrooms.

    Instead of going back home, James and I made a trip to town to pick up my Tramadol prescription and a few other items, such as protein bars, kitty treats, and DPZ. We also got gas and went through Culver's drive-thru so I could get my cashew chicken salad.

    We listened to the Book of Mormon, we started over today, and the "Come Follow Me" lesson on the way home from town. 

    After a little R&R at home James went outside to load up the pine tree he cut up to take to the widow's woodpile. He delivered three loads.

    While James was splitting logs today a couple of pens fell out of the log splitter. He found them on the ground with a magnet and hopefully will be able to fix it tomorrow.

    I listened to Inklings and worked on my blog this afternoon. I also watched President Jeffrey R. Holland's funeral. I loved the talks by his three children.

     We didn't see much of Ben & Cayli until later this afternoon when they began fixing dinner. Kim and Brian were on their way up. Cayli said she and Ben were fixing dinner tonight and then Kim was going to fix her macaroni and cheese tomorrow night. Kim texted when they got to Payson and said their car "Bruce" (Brian's Bronco) was making a funny noise so they were going home to have their mechanic take a look at it. We are sad they had to turn around but we are praying it will be an easy and inexpensive fix and they will be able to come up tomorrow. 

    We had dinner with Ben & Cayli. Cayli made chicken enchiladas with flour tortillas and red sauce and Ben made his famous salsa. We also had rice and beans. It was all very tasty. Since Ben & Cayli did the cooking, James and I cleaned the kitchen. 

    Sammy came in when I opened the outside door in our bedroom. Tom does not like it when he comes in and grabbed him by the neck. I yelled at Tom and he let go and Sammy ran back outside. Tom is so mean to him!

    Today I felt the Lord was with us as we cleaned the church. I felt His love as we read from the Book of Mormon and "Come Follow Me." and during Inklings and President Holland's funeral.  Also, sharing a meal that someone else cooked helped me to feel His tender mercies. While praying for Kim & Brian I also felt the Spirit.

        Dennis, Denise, Rachel, Sammy, and Rachel's two kids

Kacey, Charlie, Jared