Tuesday, July 21st, 2026: Happy 1st Birthday Benson! Max's big trip, low tire, Kat & Larry, return yellow lids the wrong size, PO - cane w/ chair - James wants it returned, wait for pilot car, bank, HD, Wlmrt, cookies & handouts, green is better than brown, watermelon for horses, Prednisone, "Naughty & Nice", "Snow Bride"

 

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Temple #143.

Happy 1st Birthday

Benson!

Such a handsome boy!

Max, Sheri, and Ian are leaving for California tomorrow. Max is running in the San Francisco Marathon later this week. Even though it is out of the way, their first stop will be in San Diego, per Max's directions.

I am miserable again this morning taking Prednisone, Tramadol, and Tylenol. 

Kat & Larry came a little early because James told them they owed him some overtime. 

Kim, James, and I left for town around 10:30. I am grateful to Kim for loading the car; a wheelchair and six large storage bin lids. 

We stopped at the Vernon post office. The cane I ordered that has a seat on it came in. I probably won't even open it because James wants me to send it back. James also got the part he needed for his laser and the stuff I ordered for Kacey's care package was there also. 

When we drove up the road to get on the 60 there was a sign that said, Wait for Pilot Car. We waited for about 10 minutes and when no pilot car came I turned around and went back to 3144 to go on the backroads. 

Our first stop in town was at the bank to get cash for Kat & Larry. We found the sweet shop that Neal Tarwater told me about but none of us really wanted anything sweet. It's just nice to know where it is for future reference.

We stood in the customer service line at Home Depot only for the woman working behind the desk to tell us to return them and get the ones that are the right size. She said to just wave at her afterwards, which we did. We also went into the nursery part of the store and got some weed and feed for the yard. Kim pushed our basket and I pushed James in the wheelchair.

Kim and I went in Walmart while James stayed in the car, getting a great parking spot because of my handicap sign. I picked up my Prednisone that AARA called in and my monthly supply of Tramadol. There was no charge for either prescription.

Kim went one way and I went the other to conquer our lists. Kim is making three different types of cookies this week; 100 chocolate chip cookies for their wards elders quorum, 45 cookies for my Relief Society sisters, and 2 dozen no-bake cookies for James like his mom used to make him. 

Kim finished my RS envelopes and is now working on the KitKat handouts. She is such a great help!

Did I mention how beautiful and green it is since the rain. I love green so much more than brown!

Kim fed watermelon rind to the horses. They absolutely love it. James says it was one of the best watermelons he has ever had.

We watched two older Christmas movies:

"Naughty and Nice" starring Hilarie Burton and "Snow Bride". I can't remember the name of the actress in Snow Bride but it's one of my favorites.

I am already feeling better because of the 10 mg. of Prednisone I took today.

Love!

Monday, July 20th, 2026: Arthritis is kicking my behind, Talk w/ Rita - she takes Prednisone everyday, call AARA - Prednisone prescription, aching from head to toe, lots of rains and lots of Christmas movies, I sleep on the recliner

 

Gilbert, Arizona

Temple #142.

Arthur (arthritis) is kicking my behind. I am miserable enough to call AARA and have them call me in a Prednisone prescription. 

My cousin Rita says she is on 1 mg. of Prednisone everyday and she feels great. I am hurting from head to toe.

I got the address for the Silver Creek Senior Center in Snowflake from Rita today. That's where our high school reunion is on Friday.

We got lots of rain and watched lots of Christmas movies today. I slept on the recliner a lot today.

"Christmas List" starring Alicia Witt and Gabriel Hogan.

"The Mistletoe Inn" starring Alicia Witt and David Alpay.

My friend, Dianne Heyman

Starting to get green.

Sunday, July 19th, 2026: 4 Trams, 4 Tylenols before church, Tom is a sweet, purring, cuddler when he wants to be, Lily Flake serving a mission, stake YW counselor Sis. Gardener, Steve Allen, teacher training meeting, "A Dance in the Snow", Brian leaves after fixing chili

 

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Temple #141.

I took four Tramadol and 4 Tylenol before church. That's how much I hurt. Tom comforted me, cuddling and purring as I held him.

We all went to church and sat in the last row, again. Well, James and I were in the back row and James was on the end because of his walker. Kim likes to be on the end so Brian made another row, where Kim could be on the end. Neal & Kim Tarwater and Dave Montgomery came and sat with Kim and Brian. Tammy Montgomery is in Texas visiting grandchildren. Dave stayed here to work on the home they are building in Snowflake. 

Dave Kostusiak was presented to receive the Melchizedek priesthood today. I hope that means that he and Ellen are preparing to go to the temple. Cindy and Doug Brown are back from teaching in China. They gave the opening and closing prayers. 

Lily Flake is going on a service mission. She has autism and this is the first time I have ever heard her speak in church. She will be serving in the Flagstaff mission, of which we are a part. She said she was looking forward to serving in the temple with her grandmother.

Sister Gardener a counselor in the stake Young Women's presidency, talked about attending our ward conference in January where the youth sang, "Walk with Me." This was the first time they had heard the song and knew they wanted to use it in their upcoming stake youth conference. 

Steve Allen, a member of our ward and a friend, was the final speaker. 

Kim and Brian went home after sacrament meeting. James and I stayed and attended the teacher training class taught by Susan Goodman and Tamara Applegate. James found out he is still wanted as an elders quorum instructor and will be teaching the same week I teach in August. 

The meeting was about inviting the Spirit into the classroom and adjusting to the new 25 minute schedule. 

Brian left for home after making Kim a pot of chili for the week. 

Our Christmas movie this week was a good one, "A Dance in the Snow" about a girl who has autism and her mom and getting through high school.

Sheri texted and said Dawn went to church with Terry & Cathi today. Yay!

"This is mortality. A proving ground. A place designed for growth."

- President Emily Belle Freeman

2 Kings 23:3

And the king stood by a pillar, and make a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

Rebecca & Brent's family

Saturday, July 18th, 2026: Bagged up garbage and sent $9 with Chuck, run off handouts and work on my blog, Eva's, Beh w/ Kim & Brian, James's 2 houses, simply overwhelmed, "A Snowbound Holiday"

 

Calgary, Alberta

Temple #140.

I watched a Christmas movie on my phone this morning before James and I bagged up garbage for Chuck to take to the dump. I put $9 on top of one of the bags.

While working on my blog this morning I ran off my handouts.

At 12:30 the four of us, James, Kim, Brian, and I left for Snowflake in Brian's Bronco, Bruce. I required a stool to get in the back seat. We are all going to Eva's for lunch. Kim & Brian had plans and I ask if we could come, offering to pay for everyone. 

Kim had her stuffed Poblano chili, I had a chili relleno, Brian had a sour cream enchilada and taco, #2 on the menu, and James had his green chili chicken enchilada with a side of refried beans. 

After lunch Kim wanted to see the houses that James had lived in as a teenager. We found two out of three:

It rained most of the afternoon and in to the evening. It was so beautiful!

We stopped at the Walmart in Taylor so I could get some envelopes and labels for my handouts. James bought two watermelons, one for the horses and one for him. 

All my handouts are runoff. Now all I have to do is cutout, paste, laminate, and write the name of the lesson on the envelopes, and write on the KitKat bars. Thank goodness Kim will be here to help.

As I look around the house, I see so many things I want to do but can't seem to get anything done because I don't feel well. I am simply overwhelmed. When I see all that needs to be done outside, I am overwhelmed for James. We have more dead trees and he says he needs to cut them all down. There is also one section of railing to fix on the deck. He says he needs a new log to attach this section to. He has to go up on the hill, chop down a tree, shave it and shape it into a log. 

We still have not notarized the addendum to our trust. James is holding back and time is ticking on.

Our movie tonight was the newest from Hallmark, "A Snowbound Holiday."

"Because Jesus Christ conquered death, surely He can conquer any danger, confusion or doubt we face."

- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

2 Kings 21:12

Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

Scott Tibbetts leaving on his mission to

Taiwan.

Friday, July 17th, 2026: Handouts, no rain, Brian sets up James's new computer, Star Wars puzzle, text w/ Stacy, cancelled Netflix account, town by myself Walmart only, dinner for James, Brian cooks for Kim, "Following 'Yonder Star"

 

Brigham City, Utah

Temple #139

Kim is helping me with my lesson handouts. I don't think I could do it without her.

We got no rain today and Brian said maybe he brought bad luck. I don't think so. He helped James set up his new computer and transferred all of his files. 

Kim worked on her Star Wars puzzle. It's much harder than the patriotic one and is taking a long time, but she will finish.

I texted with Stacy and she told me about delivering in the huge storm they had on Monday. She saw at least 20 downed trees in east Mesa. Monsoons are here!

I did two blog posts today, cancelled my Netflix account and our Dish protection plan and then went to Walmart by myself.

I bought turmeric for Brian and a honeydew for James. Kim forgets to tell me that James wanted some vegetable beef soup. After I get home and put the groceries away, I fix some dinner for James. I went downstairs in the years supply room and found a can of vegetable beef soup from 2015 and brought it up. I fixed it for James, along with his favorite crackers, cottage cheese and fresh pineapple. He said the soup was delicious. Kim couldn't believe it when I told her.

BTW, when Brian is here, he cooks every meal for Kim. 

We watched a great family Christmas movie this evening: "Following Yonder Star" starring Brooke D'Orsay. We all enjoyed it.

Mason

Phoenix sky

Thursday, July 16th, 2026: Inklings, "Love @ the Thanksgiving day Parade", Brian on his way, Kim says she's taking a shower and I'm on "Dad" duty, clean frig, "Seeking Persephone" audio book, Emma M. Lion, rain, started copying bookmarks, Brian here, Christmas movie

 

Manaus, Brazil

Temple #138

Inklings this morning with Emily. It's always a great day when it's Inklings day. Today's talk was "Jesus Christ - The True Vine" by Elder Ulisses Soares. 

Inklings Affirmation

I am deeply rooted in Jesus Christ. His life flows through me, giving me strength, peace, and purpose each day. As I abide in Him, I bear good fruit and become all He created me to be.

I watched one of my all-time favorite Hallmark Christmas movies, "Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade." It was made in 2012 and stars Autumn Reeser and Anthony Cupo. I have to watch it every year.

Brian is on his way up. Kim says she's taking a shower and I'm on "Dad" duty. Okay. Thank goodness he has an inside job keeping him busy. He has the Applegate plans spread all over the dining room table figuring out counter measurements for Tamara.

We had a nice rain this morning and again Kim was worried about the horses. She said Luna's stall is completely flooded. We need to get some hay for their stalls after James digs the trenches. 

I cleaned out the refrigerator today. It was pretty major and there was lots of Snapware to put away afterwards. I hate to throw food away, but no one was eating it and some of it had been there for a couple of weeks. 

I listened to "Seeking Persephone" while doing my two blog posts. I also took a break and read from Emma M. Lion, volume 6. 

I started copying my Attributes of God bookmarks for my lesson next week. I need to do 8 handouts a week to be finished by next Sunday.

Brian arrived this afternoon. Kim & Brian seem genuinely happy to see each other. Brian brought horse feed and a big bag of cat food.

We watched another Christmas movie before going to bed.

Is this AI?

Adding to my handout envelope.

New Lambson family book

 

Wednesday, July 15th, Laura's birthday, sent a card Monday, J, K, T leave, rain this afternoon and evening, no watering! Kim worried about horses, Christmas movies,"The Snow Must Go On" quote, Applegate's - see Shelly

 

Kansas City, Missouri

Temple #137.

Happy Birthday Laura. Laura is a living miracle, and we are so grateful to have her in our lives. We sent her a card on Monday. 

Jared, Taliq, and Kaitlin left this morning. I was having a bad morning and did not make it out of the bedroom to say goodbye. Kim took the pictures.

Taliq, Kate, Jared Ammon

Yes, those are her pajamas pants

I got up after my Tramadol and Tylenol went to work. 

It rained this afternoon and into the night. Kim was happy she didn't have to do any watering. She is so worried about the horses. She went out to feed them some oats and said they were shivering and the water was coming into their stables. James says when he's feeling better he will go out and dig trenches around the outside of the stable to divert the water. I distracted Kim from worrying about the horses by having her watch a Christmas movie with me. It's our favorite thing to do in July. 

Kim has us drive over to Applegate's today to look for something he thinks he might have left there. It's a stick, like a yardstick only bigger, that he may have left there. At first we didn't see it, but then Kim go out of the car and went looking and found it, and we were on our way out when someone came out of the house. It was Shelly, the Applegate's daughter, and one of my former young women. She had come home from work for lunch and to check on the dog. We visited a few minutes and I introduced her to Kim. Shelly was my all-time favorite young woman, with Trenda Wilhelm being a close second. 

We watched two Christmas movies, "If I Only Had Christmas" starring Candace Cameron-Bure, and Warren Christy. It was fun to look for all the Wizard of Oz references in this movie. The other movie, "The Snow Must Go On" wasn't quite as good but I wrote down a quote from the movie that both Kim and I really liked:

"Someday is the one day that will never come, until you make time for it."

Love that she's reading the

Book of Mormon before her baptism.

Reminds me of Michael

How many times can I post these two together sleeping?

I love her voice in this movie.

My favorite all-time movie.

Do you know how many times I have seen it?