Tuesday, February 11, 2014

"Be not afraid, only believe." - Mark 5:36

James left for the valley this morning.  I am going to miss him.  This morning I finished cleaning our bathroom and bedroom.  I love my Norwex cleaning cloths!  The one that cleans windows and mirrors, called the polishing cloth did an amazing job on the mirrors.  

Before going in to town today I paid some bills so I could mail them.  I also mailed Jared & Tricia's box of Valentine's and candy.  James called me on my way to town and said he found the temple handkerchiefs.  They were under one of his notebooks downstairs on the air hockey table.  Stacy had looked there twice and failed to see them.  She called me and apologized.  I think she was quite embarrassed.  

I made a deposit at National Bank and then stopped at the Book Barn, Show Low's answer to Deseret Book.  I got two volumes of the Old Testament Made Easier and a new tote for my scriptures.  Happy Valentine's to me.  

Did some shopping at Walmart and then headed for home after stopping at Taco Bell for dinner.  At home I watched American Idol and Wind at My Back.  That last show is on BYU TV and is a story set in the 1930's in a little mining town called New Bedford which is located somewhere in Canada.  I like it.  It reminds me of simpler times when technology didn't dominate everyone's life.  Like the Walton's it teaches good family values.

Facebook finds:

Florence Cluff, a dear friend from my years in Chandler.

Her daughter Tammy took her to the Gilbert temple open house

for her 92nd birthday.

Snowy owl

Shirley Temple passed away today.

She was in her 80's.

 I love the family tree!

Fields of flowers in Japan

Kaytlynn, Zachary, and Quentin

Jacaranda trees

Monday, February 10, 2014

James made me some freshly squeezed orange juice from the orange trees he planted in the orchard in Chandler and it was the best I have ever tasted.  Amazing!!

Chelsea Elmer Pace announced on Facebook today that they are moving to Portland in three weeks.  Brian responded that he only had one more summer in Arizona and he would be gone too.  It sounded to me like he and Kim are planning on moving to Portland before the summer of 2015 after Joseph graduates from high school.  No one has said anything to us, but I think the writing is on the wall.  What will Christmas be like without Kim to remind us of all our traditions?

I have searched high and low and can't find the temple handkerchiefs that Kim gave to us.  I have prayed and looked and looked and prayed.  I also called Stacy and alerted her to look downstairs, but she didn't find them either.  James goes down tomorrow and if he doesn't find them I will call Kim and tell her of my dilemma and see if she will order me some more at my expense.

Today I cleaned our bathroom and finished my blog through January.  James went to see Dr. Moffat today about his shoulder and thumb.  The doctor says he has arthritis and told him to take two Naprosyn three times a day.  James was hoping for a better answer and came home quite discouraged.  He knows that Naprosyn is not good for you and can cause bleeding ulcers.  The doctor also told him he was doubtful that his insurance would cover laser back surgery.  On a positive note, James brought hom Panda for dinner.  I had orange and teriyaki chicken with rice and noodles.  The noodles were too greasy but everything else was good.

I paid Ft. McDowell and White Cap bills today.  James is stressed about insurance on the Maple Chase house and wondering why the new owners haven't paid it or the February payment.  When you sell a piece of property doesn't that mean you are no longer responsible for it?  I guess not if it's a wrap around mortgage.

For FHE we read 2 Nephi 14 & 15 and watched "When Calls the Heart." 

Facebook finds:

How true.

Kari Lambson, Aaron's second wife posted

this picture of Michelle, Aaron's first wife,

with Aaron and Michelle's three kids:

Sammy, Beckham, and Katie.

Aaron and Kari with their four children and a friend.

I love this.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

James leaves for high council at 5:20 this morning.  I got up and ironed his shirt for him and then stayed up to prepare a backup lesson for Young Women's just in case.  At 7am I attend ward council in place of Diana who is not going to be here today.  By attending ward council you find out what's really going on behind the scenes in the ward.  I was excited to get Elder Russel and Elder Westover's report on who they are teaching.  Now I can pray for these people by name.  I wore my purple skirt and the purple scarf that Lorraine Vaught gave me today. 

James met me at church before sacrament meeting.  The messages were on missionary work.  Trenda Wilhelm was the youth speaker, and the main speakers were Steve Allen and Mel Wilhelm.  In Sunday School today I got to read a quote by Elder Scott to parents of wayward children.  It was really good! 

Randa Covert gave the lesson in Young Women on the premortal life.  We only had five girls attend.  I wonder where Maddie, Kelly, Hope and Heaven were.

Rosie Lauritzen gave me a valentine card and a candy bar today.  So sweet of her! 

James took citrus fruit to Lorrain Vaught, Sean and Sefani Hunsaker, John and Sandra Wilhelm, and the Crane's.  Kathy Crane was so exicted.  She says citrus fruit is one of the things she misses since moving away from southern California.

As we were going in to our Book of Mormon class Analee Hunsaker said to me: "It feels like spring."  It really does.  It is in the 60's here and in the 80's in the valley.  Where did winter go?  I guess back east.

After our Book of Mormon class I came home and fixed what I call one of our "years supply" dinners.  I used Stovetop stuffing, canned chicken, chicken broth, and cream of chicken soup.  James loved it!

We watched "When Calls the Heart" this evening. 

Facebook finds:

Cathi's daughter Wendy with

Kenny Chesney.

 Old Man Winter.

This looks like something Carmen would do.

Carmen?

Rusty Allen from the Vernon ward just put

his mission papers in.

Rusty is one of the nicest young men

I have ever met.

From Richard G. Scott's message in the

February Ensign.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Happy 42nd Birthday Stacy!

You are almost too old for me to post your age!

 Stacy's birthday gift.
I call her Lulu because that's the name of the
designer.

Michael went to Circle K this morning and got Stacy a Code Red drink, a Caramello bar, and a teddy bear for her birthday.  What a thoughtful guy!

I had planned on going to Max's flag football game this morning but I was hurting too much.  I needed to get home to give myself an Enbrel shot.  I have been giving myself a shot every other week instead of every week to make the Enbrel last longer.  I only have one shot left.  I hope I get approval to start on Remmicade soon!

James got a power sprayer at Home Depot.  I went next door to Staples and got me some colored pens.  I also went through the drive-thru of Krispy Kreme.  We wanted to go visit Darrel and Trina before leaving town but Darrel is at work and Trina wasn't home.  Maybe next time.  I went home the Payson way and of course James went through Globe so he could go to Burger House.  

I was sad when I got home to see that the snow was all melted.  Everyone is getting concerned because of the lack of moisture we have received this year.  We have drought like conditions just like California.

When I got home and the car was unloaded I put on my pajamas and crashed on the couch.  I watched the latest episode of Sherlock with James and we also watched When Calls the Heart and a Hallmark movie "Chance for Romance.  For dinner we had our Burger House burros.  

I forgot to mention that before leaving Chandler James visited with Cathi's son Chris and his wife.  They are making a National Geographic special about them and their life on Kodiak Island.  Cathi was so happy he came.  She hasn't seen him in 15 years.

Random pictures:

James's new favorite candy bar.

Joshua took a picture of Skittles.

Sheri and Christy ran in the Color Race

at Tumbleweed Park.

This is their before picture.

This is the after picture.

Friday, February 7, 2014

For breakfast this morning I had two Krispy Kreme donuts.  They only have 160 calories each and boy I love them!  There is a drive thru Krispy Kreme on the corner of Chandler Blvd. and Alma School.  It's a good thing I don't live here anymore!

After breakfast I went shopping for Stacy and Trina's birthdays and for Valentines candy.  I started out at the Super Target on Gilbert and Germann.  While there, I bought James and I a new air mattress.  It's a Coleman and it's 18" high.  Next stop was Marshall's, but I didn't see any purses I liked that were in my price range, so it was back to Penney's.  I found lots that I liked, including a purple one for me but only ended up getting one for Stacy.  Sheri says she thinks Trina just got a new purse so I will probably get her a Visa gift card. 

James and I went to lunch at Jersey Mikes.  Afterwards we went home to take a nap on our new bed.  We like it!  After nap time I went out shopping again at Walgreen's and Target Greatland.  I asked all the kids what the grandkids favorite candy was and Alex and Ben's is Caramello which I have not been able to find.  I finally find them at Circle K.

Here are some of the favorites:  I don't know Adam and Jared Ammon's so I just give them some random candy.  Dallin - Snickers, Michael - Nerds, Joe - Hershey's hearts and Nutella,  Alex and Ben - Caramellos, Max - sour worms, E
Evan - Skittles and Starburst and some sour worms, James - a "fancy heart" with chocolates, and sour worms, and Anna, Molly, and Emmy - sour worms.  Addy - sour worms, Rowan and Ruby - suckers.  I got the couples Jordan almonds.  Of course I got James dark chocolate with almonds and dark chocolate with hazlenut and Nutella. 

James and I were going to go to Chili's for dinner but it was too crowded so we ended up at Elmer's for machaca tacos and burros.  Yummy!

Stacy loved her purse!  I watched part of Sherlock Holmes with her and Paul while filling Valentine candy bags.

Facebook finds:

Joshua and Jared Ammon at Tara's wedding reception.

 

Friends from Vernon

Owen and Donna Peeler

 

Friends from Chandler, Christy,

Ian, Eric, Megan and Brayden Wanlass

I loved shopping at Smitty's

Naptime

 Hotel somewhere in Europe

 

Thursday, February 6, 2014

I left for the valley around 9am this morning.  I stopped at the McDonald's in Payson for a chicken nugget Happy Meal for lunch.  I love their hot mustard sauce first introduced to me by James.  When I get to Chandler the first thing I do is go home and brush my teeth and then head for the dentist's office. 

My temporary crown comes off and my permanent gold crown goes on.  I now have three molars with gold crowns and the other one still has a silver filling.  I have to wait an hour before I can eat but that's okay because my next stop was at an imaging place by the hospital to get a chest x-ray which was ordered by my rheumatologist before I can go on my new medication,  Remmicade.

After my x-ray I meet James at home and we head for Outback to use our giftcard that Darrel and Trina gave James for his birthday.  I had the Victorian steak with a salad and a sweet potato.  Oh my, that sweet potato was good!  They put butter and brown sugar on it.  After dinner James was sweet enough to let me run in to Hobby Lobby to get some Valentine goodie bags.  He really is a sweetie.  

Back at home, I was tired and was lying on the bed.  James came in and flopped down, and then got up and then flopped down again and then got up.  Somehow he punctured a hole in the bed with all his flopping around.  We had to sleep on the twin mattress on Stacy's bunkbed.  Not only was it tight quarters but that thing has no box springs so the mattress is hard as a rock.  I didn't get much sleep.  We started out with our heads together but I changed and made it head to feet.  I kept feeling like I was going to fall of..

Oh I forgot to mention something cool that happened today.  Kim ordered James and I handkerchief's for the Gilbert temple dedication.  They have our names embroidered on one side and a picture and name of the temple on the other.  Here is a picture:

These are such a special keepsake of a sacred occasion

Thank you Kim!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

I am gaining some valuable insights from reading Elder Bednar's conference address on tithing. Here are a few:

1.  Spiritual and temporal blessings come into our lives as we live the law of tithing.

2.  A grateful person is rich in contentment.

3.  Do more with less, prioritize and simplify and take proper care of the material possessions we already have.

4.  Change our own circumstances rather than expecting our circumstances to be changed by someone or something else.

5.  When we plead for relief rom physical, mental, and spiritual difficulties, He may increase our resolve and resilience.

6.  Honest payment of tithing is an important step in personal sanctification.

I made another trip to town today, don't ask me why, maybe I was lonely.  I saw Mary Swift.  I always look for her when I'm in Walmart.  There was a little snow again today.  On the way home I stopped at the Jalapeno Cafe and got a sweet pork salad.  It was quite good.

Back at home I saw a herd of about 10 elk walking across our back yard.  I was afraid to open the door to take a picture because I thought I would spook them.  While talking on the phone with Sheri I also saw a bluebird.  I took a picture through the window.

Sorry he wasn't looking at me.

Tonight Analee and I were the only Young Women leaders at Mutal.  Diana wanted the girls to cut out hearts for our New Beginnings program. 

It's blurry, but it's the only picture I got so I'm keeping it.

I let the girls have the Krispy Kreme donuts I bought from Trenda.  They ate the entire dozen.  After they were finished making hearts, most of them went out to play basketball.  Shelly went into the primary room to practice the piano.  She just started taking lessons.  

Trina sent out a group text to Sheri, Kim, Tricia and I to tell us that she's having a girl.  She told me to tell Stacy since she doesn't have her number.  After telling us the baby was a girl she sent the following text: 

"Also there is a cyst on the baby's brain that could be a normal variant

but could also be a sign of a fatal defect so I have to go back in 2 weeks

for another ultra sound so pray for the baby."

That is so scary, and we will definitely be praying.  Trina wants to name the baby Mae.  Although Nannie's name was Myrtle Mae she always went by Mae, so I am pretty happy with that choice.