Music!

Well, another week. My blog still has problems with background (it worked for a day last Sunday) but the music and map, etc did get back on. I think either Kim or Kristy helped me, so thank you and we'll just think of it as a work in progress. Allison knows about problems as she told me that her computer wasn't working so she hadn't updated. However, she now has a laptop, which will be better for her since she can take it where she needs to be. Kim told me that she may have someone lined up to tend the children so she and Daniel can go on an Anniversary trip--well overnight to San Diego, but that would be fun. In the middle of our crazy week, we got a break and went with Christie and Darren on a "date". Sis and I had wanted to go see Mama Mia so we made a plan and the guys wanted to come along. We had fun--it has been a long time since we have been to a movie. I love, love the music and dancing of the play and the movie kept all those things I love. It did have lots of vulgarity though--more so than the play even. Meryl Streep did an impressive job--but we couldn't help but laugh when Pierce Bronson sang! Hope you all have a great week! Our phone won't be hooked up until Wed so use cell's if you call. Sure love you all!

The move

Well, we decided to take the plunge for this weekend since I had an extra day off. We started loading things up in an orderly manner. I would load boxed, take them over and unload. Great plan. Unfortunately, that worked for two of the days. On Saturday, it was crunch time. Darren, Reed, Bren and Justyn showed up and started loading. They got all the big stuff loaded and I was left with all the junk stuff. So, they unloaded at the new house where Jer came to help and dad decided to keep them so he could get the fence moved. (He obviously didn't tell them for a purpose!) So, they worked until noon. I had a goal of being out of here by 3 but as you can tell from the picture, it was a disaster. I sent dad with a load cause I ran out of boxes so he just unloaded things all over the counters for me. Around six, we had finally thrown everything else into boxes and we headed over. There I got Help! Christie came over and made our bed--she even ironed the bed skirt and new duvet cover that Kim had given me. And, she kept trying to keep me focused. I would walk in one room and start something and take something to another and start something there. She would order me back to the kitchen. It finally came together just before 10. We met Darren and Christie and fam, who had made us a delicious dinner, at the CH firework display. After we ate, we gave up on the cancelled firework show and headed home. Around midnight, when I was about to drop and decided to go to bed, dad put on a movie, so I just kept working. Who was it that said men have it easy??? I can't tell you all how much we appreciate all the help. We could not have done it without you all and for those who gave up their Saturday plans to help us. Thank you, Thank you!!

Babysitting

John & Laura and Tom & Kristy & fam went to Lake Powell for part of this week. They are expected home today. We are anxious to have them back safe. Luther got to go to Reed & Allyson's where we know he was well taken care of. Lucky got to stay with us. I was feeling so sorry for him being chained up all day with no exercise that I took pity on him and took him for a walk--or rather he took me. Laura had given me the tip of putting the chain between his leg to slow him down or otherwise I would have been on the ground with him pulling me along. As it was, I could feel the effort in my whole body after we got home. We didn't go very far, but that was enough for me not to feel that bad for him the rest of their trip.

Exciting News

Liz made her announcement last Sunday that they would soon be a family of five. The baby looked good on ultrasound, thank goodness and the due date is just before Valentine's day. This makes 26!

New Week

This has been an eventful week. Dad & I got away and Justyn did his eagle project. Everyone else has been busy as well. Allison is getting ready for her Enrichment event in another week and that is always so stressful. I have never had that calling and am so glad. She reports the family is well. TJ is going to do tennis as well as his acting group so that should be fun. Kim got her new calling as 1st counselor in the Primary Presidency so she will be busier--especially since she has to write the Sac mtg program. I think she will enjoy the calling a lot. Darren and Christie are doing family pictures tomorrow so I am excited about that. Tom & Kristy are going to Lake Powell for part of the week so they are getting ready for that. John and Laura are going along to help out and keep extra eyes on the little ones. We pray all will be safe. Jer went to Maryland to get a CNG car--I found out after the fact but they say he got a great deal on it. He was supposed to get back last night. We need help deciding whether to move next weekend or not. I can't decide. It is still so dusty and still so many things to be done. Tom & John won't be here to help--I jsut don't know. Oh well, maybe time will help make a decision. When I read about Averie's prayers I remembered the faith of the little ones, & we so apppreciate them continuing to pray for our house to sell. It is a good learning experience for them still though to see that prayers aren't immediately answered in the way we want and that we have to trust in the Lord and learn the lessons He wants us to learn. But thank you all for your support and prayers. We know they are being heard. We sure love you all.

Justyn's day!

Eagle Project mania

Saturday was Justyns' eagle project. He was in charge of the food. They cooked burgers and hot dogs, had drinks and chips, a snow cone machine and cotton candy machine. Then there was goodies for desserts. Reed and Allyson will really deserve the pin and tie tack they get! It was a big project and took lots of preparation before hand. We got there late but dad was able to help with the cleanup. He had a great support team, besides his parents. I know John and Laura went to help and Christie and Darren and probably others that I don't know. Allyson's mom kept the girls until the end and Allyson's dad was there the entire project. He looked pretty tired by the end--it was a very hot day. We are proud of him for doing this and it surely benefitted little Emma, who they were raising money for.

Justyn's day

Jungle Safari

Whoops, I just figured out that I did this blog entry backwards, and I don't know how to flip them, so read the bottom one first. We checked into our room and dad found out it was on the 3rd floor--no elevator. He wasn't happy about that so we did limit the times we went up and down. Really it was good for us because we went to dinner at his favorite--Ruby River, which just happened to be down the street and then they had sparkling cider and cheesecake in the room. The room was really tiny but all done up like we were in a jungle. Dad immediately found the bed and TV remote and was impressed that the bed was so good. We had an alligator sharing the room with us and the elephant trunk was the shower. They let you choose DVD's to watch and then in the morning they brought breakfast to your room. Talk about being spoiled! Thanks again Tom & Kristy.

Jungle Safari

Why don't we get away?

Thanks to Tom & Kristy, we got to go on a getaway Fri/Sat. We barely made it to the SL Temple for the 2:00 session--I made Dad run cause they only start sessions every hour. It was so great to be there. Both of us really enjoyed being in a live session again. We remembered our wedding day and the many times we would go there the first few years after we were married. After, we went back to the car then decided to try and see the Joseph Smith movie since it was still too early to check in. As we were walking a young man said "Excuse me sir, but aren't you Travis Hall's dad?" It was Seth Johnson who lived by us in AF and dad was his scout master for awhile. He said he was still a "bounder". He and his wife had been in the session with us but neither of us recognized him. It was good to visit for a minute. We then got over to the JS bldg and the movie was just about to start so they let us in the back door and just as we sat down the movie started. I love that movie and am always so humbled to remember the sacrifice of the Prophet and the early saints. We have so much to be grateful for.

Recipe

Kim asked for the recipe for the P-nut Butter Chex Aunt Pam brought to Phillips homecoming so I thought I would include it here: 2 cups Karo syrup 2 cups sugar 2 cups (Jiffy) p-nut butter 1 box Corn Chex Bring Karo syrup & sugar to a boil. Add p-nut butter and stir till smooth. Pour over chex, mix together and lay over wax paper until cool. Enjoy

Blogging help needed.

I don't know what I did but my blog lost it's names of contact, it's music and map, etc. And the wallpaper in the background shows through the pictures. Daniel fixed it on everyone elses, but mine is just weird. Is there anything I can do on this end?

Trees!

Friday was pretty fun because when I turned to go down the street to the new house, I couldn't get in because it was trucks and vehicles, etc lining both sides of the street. The landscapers were there putting trees in and the cement guys were there putting forms up. It was so awesome. The trees are wonderful and really dresses things up. And, they had delivered the furniture the day before so I got to see that. Tom and Christie both stopped by to check things out. They got sidetracked looking through the cedar chest and doing some remembering, but they checked out the furniture and landscaping. We also had an unwanted visitor that dad and John had to take care of on Saturday while they were raking. I was spraying off the sidewalk when I noticed a TAIL and it was moving. Turns out we had a gopher burrowing under one of the new trees. I felt bad, but we couldn't let him stay so dad took care of extinguishing his life and John had to finish it. Anyway, I am thankful that we have trees.

Birthday

Saturday was a special day! Happy birthday, Christie. She looks as beautiful today as she did those 30 something years ago. We are so glad she came into our family. I was remembering that night when she was born. It was quite the coincidence that hers was the only birth that dad missed but it was grandma that was there with me, and the first besides the Dr and nurses to see her, and that grandpa had told me that I would wait and have her on grandma's birthday. It made it even more special for them both. Grandma would have been 92 if she had lived.

Blessings

One of the many blessings of having Laura in the family is that she can make us all look better. I should have taken the after of this picture--dad was so shaggy that even he was embarrassed. He looks so much better. Thanks Laura!

Garden treats

Jer brought zucchini from his garden yesterday and it was great! I told him he might be in the running for the non existant "favorite" child if he keeps it up.

You have to laugh

Bren is going to be mad at me for telling on him, but it is a funny memory. Christie requested home made rolls for her birthday yesterday. Just before the family came, I moved them to the center bar, with the thought that maybe I should not put them there because often someone will walk by and stick a finger in them. However, I kept them there. Just before dinner (and the many disasters of the day) Bren came in the kitchen and was waiting there to talk to me, when I noticed him just slapping his hand up and down, hitting the rolls. I shrieked and it was then he realized it wasn't the counter he was hitting. I took the cover off and showed him the rolls and tried to get him to poise with the evidence but he wouldn't. It was pretty funny and just made me laugh. I told him, life lets you laugh or cry and it is so much more fun to laugh--and the rolls tasted just fine.

Sleepover

Sunday night Justyn begged to have a "sleepover", so John gave in and he got to hang out with John and Laura. Dad and I went off to bed--it was after 10:00 after all. They watched a movie and Justyn slept in the office here. I don't even know if he had a pillow or blanket, but he didn't care. He is in this phase now where he refuses to get his picture taken, so he will have lots of his hands.

FHE

For FHE last week the kids organized a great canyon supper. We had so much fun and everyone was there except Daniel, Tom and Trav and Allison clan. Thank you for doing that. It is a great memory. We haven't talked to Trav and Allison this week so we miss knowing what is going on. I haven't checked blogs either, but will tonight. Hope everyone is well. We miss you all so much. I think dad put the hold on the move in this next weekend--besides, it is Chrisitie's birthday--but he wants to wait now until we have grass. He said the dust is horrific and he is worried about it coming in the house. However, if anyone has a spare moment this weekend, we could move over the spare mattresses and file cabinets and hopefully it will only be a week or two until we get the rest over. Anyway, thanks for being such a great family. We love you.

Haircut

Laura did my color and cut on Friday--yeah! I so appreciate her doing that for me and on a holiday no less. Laura is working at Dear Lizzie's now and since they will give her full time she is going to take that offer and leave the salon. I am sure she is still willing to share her talents with those who need her services (that is everyone). John is making some money onhis side job--golf balls.

Happy Fourth

Christie and Darren had us over for a barbeque on the 4th. It was the only thing that made it seem like a holiday as I had taken dad all over the country looking at furniture. That was pretty lame. They did fireworks and put on a pretty impressive meal. I got this "traditional" picture of little JD doing the car thing. It turned out pretty cute.

Substitute dad

Jer and Liz are working to get a plan drawn up for a house so we are hoping that pans out for them. If not I bet they could find a great deal on a foreclosed house right now. Jer became James best friend while his daddy was gone. He wouldn't let him go up at the canyon. It was pretty sweet.

Phillips Homecoming

Tom and Kristy's family have been sick with the nasty cold we all got. Gracie is bad today. They had fun over the weekend though when they went to Park City and then to do boating yesterday. Hopefully they will put pictures on. Last Sunday at Phil's homecoming, Phillip came up to talk to me and Josh and Isaac were just watching him. Then Josh started asking him "you know that part in your talk when you said that lady was (whatever it was), I really liked that part" and Isaac quickly agreed, so they had a conversation about that experience. It was so cute. You just never know when the kids are listening

Home to Arizona

Daniel arrived to rescue one very lonely damsel! Kim prayed Daniel here as the flight was overbooked and they were looking for volunteers to give up their seats. But he got on when a couple didn't show. Both Kim and children were very excited to have their dad back. We are going to miss them all--especially little Ben with his huge smiles. James warmed up to us all so that was good. I tended yesterday while they went to Lagoon and James had a messy diaper that was all over his whole lower body. He had such a sore bottom that he was crying and wrestling to get away. I was holding on with dear life to his foot while I tried to keep anything from getting on the carpet. I felt so bad. But after I got done and got him fixed back up he got up and started away and then just turned and ran to me and gave me a big hug. It was the sweetest thing.

Brendan Birthday!

Today is Brendan's 12th birthday. Can't believe he is getting so old! He was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood today and is now a deacon. He was so excited to get to go collect fast offerings and so were the other deacons excited to have him.