Friday, September 7, 2012

I took a picture of the sunrise and some babies breath flowers on my walk this morning.

I am currently working on my Faith value experience 1 for Personal Progress.  This morning I listened to some excellent conference talks on faith.  There are several from the October 2010 conference.  I especially enjoyed the ones by Bishop Edgley, Elder Scott, and President Eyring. 

James had a visitor today.  Bill Valentic, our friend from Chandler, came by and picked James up this morning and they drove to Bill's place in Nutrioso.  James helped him with a little cleanup and then they stopped for lunch at the Arby's in Eager.  It's always good to visit with friends you haven't seen for awhile.

I got something in the mail today from a sister I visit taught in Chandler.  Her name was Lynne Ritz.  We got to be good friends and she said to thank me for my help and friendship she wanted to make me a doily.  Her is what it looks like on our dining room table.  Thank you Lynne.

While James was gone I watched Project Runway and worked on our budgets for the month.  James doesn't like Project Runway so what better time to watch than when he is gone.  I also washed the car and colored my hair so I had a productive morning.  For lunch I made myself a turkey bacon sandwich.  

Before going to the football game this evening I studied and prepared for the Book of Mormon Sunday School lesson.  I keep a Sunday journal with notes from Sacrament meeting, Sunday School and Young Women's.

Tonight the Show Low Cougars are playing the Round Valley Elks in the "dome" in Springerville.  James and I sat by Vickie and Dennis.  I was on the end while James visited with Dennis.  I felt a little left out.  Again Show Low won 28-6.  

Thursday, September 6, 2012

On my walk this morning I saw these two trees growing together.  I thought it looked like a "Tree Skirt."

A tree with a skirt.

Right now I am reading a book my friend Karen Schneider gave me last spring by Ardeth Kapp.  It's called: 

Subtitle: Living a Life of Love

Karen and I are big Ardeth Kapp fans.  She was on our Harry Potter tour in England and was the nicest, friendliest person we met.  We loved her and she truly does live a life of love.  Sheri Dew was on the tour also.  Here is a quote from Ardeth (Sister Kapp's) book:

"The trials and tests in our lives are not to discourage us but to refine us,

 teaching us that we must call upon the Lord.  

They are not to weaken us but to strengthen us.  

They are not to destroy us but to sanctify us, to help us become more Christlike, more loving, more forgiving, and more optimistic. 

 The more hope we feel, the greater our faith.  The stronger our hope, the greater our charity."

This afternoon James and I went in to town to pick up a prescription.  While I was there I stopped at the Book Barn to look at scriptures and a tote for Addy.  I found these two totes.  The scriptures are inside the CTR quote.  I couldn't pass either of these up because Addy loves purple as much as I do.

 She can use one of them for a purse.

On the way home from town we got rained on.  It had also rained in Vernon while we were gone.

Look at that sky.

Alex went fishing today in the valley and sent ut some pictures.

I like the fish you caught in Chocolate Lake better Alex.

James and I started a new Victoria Holt book.  This one is called The Captive.  James did not like the one about Marie Antionette.  It was too sad for him.  He likes a good mystery but he is tender hearted, especially when it comes to women.

That's all for now. 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Happy 34th Birthday to Darrel.  We love and appreciate you so much Darrel!

No walk this morning.  I guess I was too lazy.  I probably needed it too because I am struggling to lose another pound. 
James and I have made the decision to sell our home in Chandler.  We told Stacy and Paul that they should find another place to live by October.  In October we plan on going down and fixing things up and moving things out.  It is going to be alot of work.  Today I worked on unloading boxes in the entry closet.  I unloaded 4 and I have 6 more to go.  When I am finished there are still boxes downstairs in the storage room and in my bedroom closet that need to be unloaded.  My goal is to have them all done before October.  I won't be available to work outside with James much.  I hope he doesn't mind. 
This afternoon I baked cookies for mutual.  This time I made Mrs. Field's chocolate chip cookies and then I made some oatmeal scotchies.  The youth are helping Kendall and Westin Hall with their project at the Angel Wings assisted living home here in Vernon.  The boys are building a ramada for outdoor relaxing and BBQ's.
The beams that were suppose to be put up were not because the wrong size was sent.  Instead the youth moved a pile of cinders around the outside edge of the sidewalk and concrete patio.  I was impressed with Trenda, LeAnn, MaKenzi, Jordyn, and Shelly.  They have quite a work ethic.  We also had the Lootan girls Hailey, and Hope, and China, and Kilee who helped.  Mary was at a cross country meet so she didn't attend.

There were lots of supervisors, including James.

That's Westin in the black with the blond hair.

Kendall is in the maroon shirt with the black hat.

Before the girls got involved.

Westin and ?

Brother Allen carrying the ladder.  He is the

Young Men's President.

Shelly, MaKenzi, and Cory McNeil.

Shelly, LeAnn, and Westin.

Once Trenda picked up a shovel she never put it down.

She is singing at the county fair on Saturday.

I am sorry I won't be here.

China is the girl in the black with her arms folded.

She gets in on the action in a minute.

The cowboy is Wayne Todd.  I don't know him but everyone else seems to.

Here comes the girl power, LeAnn, Trenda, and Jordyn in the pink.

All girl power when China joins the group.

Hailey, Kilee, Shelly, and the little one is Hope.

Trenda in the stripes and Jordyn in the pink.

Taking a break.

LeAnn deserves a rest.  She worked hard.

That's Teresa Smith too.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

No sun on my walk this morning.  Lots of clouds but no rain.  I paid bills this morning and then this afternoon James and I went in to town.  Our first stop was at LaCasita.  We almost couldn't find a place to park but luckily some guy left and we took his spot.  I had my green chili burro fix and then we were on our way.  James dropped me off at Walmart while he did some shopping at Home Depot.  It's so convenient that they built these two stores next to each other. On the way home we made a deposit into our account at National Bank and stopped for gas.  I slept part of the way home and part of the way I read from our new Victoria Holt book "The Captive."  We finished Marie Antionette.  It was so sad!  We all know that it ended badly for dear Marie.  I do have a new appreciation for her and her husband Louis XVI of France.
My car needed washing but James said we weren't stopping at the carwash that he would wash it when we got home, which he did.  Thanks Honey.

 I am going to end this post with a picture that Kim sent me.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Happy Labor Day!  Why is it that on Labor day we do anything but labor?  James got up early and he and Alex went down to Chocolate Lake to do some fishing.  This time James caught one fish but Alex didn't catch any.  Maybe the fish are on to him.
The weather was so nice, I read my scriptures on the back porch and then decided to take a walk down to Chocolate Lake and see how the guys were doing.  I figured I could catch a ride back with them.  Well they must have come back cross country instead of on the road because when I got there no one was there.  I called Kim to come and pick me up.  On the way home as the cool breeze was hitting us in the face she said: "I could do this all day."  I agreed.  Instead we went home and fixed breakfast.
 Kim fixed buttermilk pancakes,and sausage, and I fried the bacon.

We like these pancakes for their delicious taste and their crispiness on the outside.

I got the recipe from Marci Coombs's blog.

 Joseph wouldn't eat any thing.  I think he had some cereal and James wouldn't either but the rest of us enjoyed it, especially Alex.  That kid can eat.  I don't know where he puts it.
After breakfast Kim, Brian, Joe and Alex packed up and left for home.  We were sad to see them go.

Kim took this picture of James before she left.

  A couple of hours after they left it rained hard for about an hour.  Sad because they wanted it to rain while they were here.

I am ashamed to say that after everyone left I "vegged" out on the couch to watch my shows that I missed last week because of the RNC. I watched "So You Think You Can Dance".  One of my Utah girls, Lindsey went home.  I also watched Project Runway where they didn't sent anyone home, Cupcake Wars, and Pioneer Woman.  I wonder if the Pioneer Woman's tequila lime chicken is as good as my honey lime chicken?
James went out and trimmed some trees.  I finished my Sunday School entry in my Sunday journal then went on a ride.  When I got back James was looking for his phone in a pile of brush.  I called his number and he found it immediately.  We went to bed a little after 8.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Happy Sabbath Day!
I was up early to finish my soap handouts for young women. I like how they turned out.  I decided to only make 10 instead of 12.  I normally have 7 girls but because it is a holiday weekend I planned for extras.

This side lists the Steps of Repentance

I should have made all 12 because I had 12 girls.

Even though Alex forgot his Sunday clothes and we forgot yesterday to get them from Sheri, he went to sacrament meeting.  I was glad.  It was a wonderful meeting.  The fullest I have ever seen the Vernon ward.  We were clear back into the second overflow.  Spencer, the DeWitt's grandson, and famous from the video "Dayton's Legs", bore his testimony.  He told about carrying his friend Dayton down in to the bottom of the grand canyon.  Last time he took him with him when he did a triathalon. 

Four of my young women bore their testimonies, Shelly, Jordyn, Trenda, and LeAnn, so I bore my testimony too.  

I fasted this afternoon.  James forgot and ate this morning.  We fasted for Dallin and for work.  I heard from my good friend Karen Schneider that Dallin bore a powerful testimony today.  Maybe our prayers for him are being answered.  

For dinner we had grilled steak, corn on the cob, salad, rice pilaf, and Texas toast.  It was wonderful and such good company too.  

After dinner we had FHE.  James told the life history of his grandpa Lambson, Frank Bates Lambson.  The boys were impressed with some of the things he did at their age, like herding sheep 200 miles, moving houses, and shoveling thousands of pounds of coal.  They thought it was funny when he lassoed his future wife, Annie Laurie Mangum, at a party.  And when he proposed to her he told her he already had their "cage" built.  They married and had 13 children, 12 that lived to adulthood.  I remember him having a wooden leg, playing the harmonica, and loving to play chinese checkers.  After the Lambson stories we watched the video "Dayton's Legs."  It was a nice evening.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

We left for the valley around 7:30 this morning.  Before we left Alex went fishing. He caught 4 fish.  This one was not the biggest. 

He rode the Ranger down to Chocolate Lake and found this guy.

  When we arrived in Chandler our first stop was emissions control.  My car passed and I don't have to have it tested for another two years.  Next stop: Sam's Club for some good fillet steaks which we can't get at Walmart in Show Low.  At Walgreen's and Fry's we got a card and gift cards for Kris and Kristina.  On the way to the reception we stopped at Cheesecake Factory and I got a gift card for Darrel's birthday.
At the reception we saw: Cid Elmer, and most all of Gail's family: Heather, Ryan, Cheryl, Luke, Asha, Chloe,
Tim, Becca, Melanie, Val, Micah, Erik, Amelia, Aurora, Mabel, Oliver, Aaron, Kari, Anna, Katy, Sammy, and Beckham, and of course Gail, Jasmine and Seth.  I mostly visited with Cathi, Terry, Laura, Dave, Lois, Dawn, Rebecca, and Brent.  Stacy and Paul and Joshua came and so did Darrel, Trina, Addy, Rowan, and Ruby.

After the reception James and I took Addy shopping for her birthday.  Sheri and Trina dropped Addy and I off at the mall while James went shopping for a new pool pump.  After shopping for awhile we got hungry and went to Paradise Bakery for a cookie.  We finally found something Addy liked at the Justice store, a necklace with a little red guitar.  Addy has a red guitar and she loves it.  Grandpa picked us up from the mall and we all went over to Target Greatland.  It took Addy awhile but she finally picked out a "Target" Barbie.  With a red target bag and everything.

 Grandpa was so happy to be finished shopping.  Now for the important part of the date, "Sweet Tomatoes" for dinner.  James and I love their salads and Addy loves their macaroni and cheese and jello.  What a fun time we had with out sweet little granddaughter for her 8th birthday.  Next week we will be back for her baptism.
Before leaving for home Dallin and Michael serenaded us with the Good 'Ole War song, "Loud Love".

On our way back to Vernon James got stopped just outside of Heber.  The police officer said he was going 58mph in a 45 zone.  Luckily all he got was a warning.  We were home by 10pm.  We both have to give lessons tomorrow so we went straight to bed with a plan to get up by 5:30 to finish preparing.