Week of September 1 - 7, 2014

Monday - Oh, the joys of insomnia. I just could NOT get back to sleep, so I exercised till Kate got home from movie night, and then I ran at 3 am.

NOT a good idea.

Started out fine, but on my last mile, there was a creepy pickup truck just sitting at one street corner. I just kept on, acting as though I didn't see anything. The truck went up one street and I moved the safety switch on my pink pepper spray (thank you so much, Doran and Amber!) and kept on. The truck then came from behind me...lots of prayer going on...and turned on another street.

I sped up a bit...or a lot.

I was watching everywhere...and almost called Kayty to come and get me...

Then...and owl started hooting.

I nearly fainted...ran faster...and made it home.

I repeat...NEVER AGAIN!

After I dried up (it's doggone hot even at 3 am!) and then got dad up to go Dove Hunting.

Yes, it was opening day!!!

While they were away, I dusted, vacuumed, brushed the pool, mopped...after a nap of course!

Dee, Ethan and Doran had a great time!...So did Beau!

I swear...that dog no energy to walk from the kitchen table to the family room rug. However, you put him in Ethan's truck, drive a half hour and pick up a big dog cage...and Doran...and drive another distance, let him out and fire a shotgun, and that dog is a pup again.

He picked up Ethan's who limited first (15 birds), Dad's (13), Doran's (15)...

and then went and stood by some strangers to fetch their birds for them.

He's loyal that way...

He was unconscious the rest of the day...

Amber and Doran came, set up, ran and cleaned up Kelsie's birthday party...

They did awesome!

Kelsie had a great time...and so did we all.

When Kaylee came in with Mommy and Daddy, she did NOT expect to find a house full of strangers!

Dad and Ethan left early to try hunting north of us...

No doves...

I vacuumed and Kaylee prepped, and headed to bed.

Tuesday - It has been warm...108 degrees every day for the last few days, and though the mornings are dry and "cool", 80 degrees isn't that cool when you run...(though it's way better than 90 degrees!)

Kaylee and I tried the pool for a little bit, talked to the chickens (and our chick who became a rooster became aggressive, so it was determined he needed to be relocated.) She had a great day and played and talked and even ate...she likes mashed potatoes. Right at her nap time, she was standing on the couch and she leaned over, out of the blue, and gave me two kisses, said "Wuv You", and curled up in my lap and talked about eyes and eyebrows and ears and teeth.

I love being a Grammy!

Ethan came and she played for a bit and then they headed home.

Dee worked in the garden...not me - it's hot out there...

Dee melted lead and molded bullets...not me...it's hot work...

Then I took a hot bath...go figure!

Wednesday - Another warm morning...another warm run. Rain is predicted this weekend, so that will be nice...except for the fact that our weeds are getting a nice watering.

I am so not a fan of spurge (nasty weed that won't go away)


Thursday - Dee had many supplier visits to make, so it was Kaylee and I for most of the day. We played in the water with the little pink pool. We danced and sang and played with babies and I was "Elmo" rather than "naughty". She loves to tease.

After dinner, we prepped for our trip: packing, getting air in tires, etc.

Friday - I had a great run, made sure the house was dusted, the jeep was completely loaded, got ready, and woke Dee up...and off we headed for Las Vegas. We needed gas in Wikieup...so we purchased just a bit, and tried to get more in Kingman. Then, our every on the ball credit card company called, suspecting fraud, and had stopped our card from working! I am thankful they are watchful, but it sure can get in the way...plus cost us an addional 40 cents a gallon!

We arrived and had great cousin time.

Since the kids were near me, Dee took a picture...(Kaylee hadn't arrived so it was just for fun) Kooper really wanted to give Sam a kiss!

Uncle Doran had converted an old fire extinguisher into a pretty awesome water squirter for Adam

Grace demonstrated her new skates she purchased with her birthday money.

He smiled when Mommy said "ma ma ma"

Mommy couldn't say "ma ma" and look this great at the same time, so Sam's smile was hidden...

Dinner was potluck, with chicken sloppy joes, coleslaw, chips and grapes.

The younger kids watched a movie for a little while,

and then we headed to our hotels.

Saturday - Wonderful, restful night (though Dee nearly froze me out in that hotel room!) Wonderful breakfast, with Kelsie, Kooper, Doran, Amber and Grandma joining us. We headed to Allison's and joined Nano and Kathy...and the beautiful Wilkin's family, ready to enjoy this special covenant event.

Kathy Hayes, Gracce and Nano

 We headed to church, and there met the rest of the family.

Pictures were taken

Grace and her best friend, Katelyn...both baptized on the same day!

Cousins Kelsie and Grace

Daddy and Grace

 After the baptism and confirmation, we "attempted" a group grandkid photo...it was hilarious!

Ethan, Cameo and Kaylee

 Daddy baptized Grace, with Grampa Wilkins and Papa as witnesses, and then Daddy confirmed Grace a member of the Church and she received the Holy Ghost. So special!

We returned home and celebrated with ice cream!

I was photographing Adam's root beer float creation when Grace came for additional whipped cream...

And boy, she sure did get "additional" whipped cream! Adam's float looked awesome.

Kaylee met Tyger.

Adam and Josh wrestled, and Kooper wanted to join in.

Some of the family decided to head back, and so Nano and Kathy, Doran and family, and Dee and I left. Doran and us met in Kingman and ate at . Kelsie loved the mac and cheese...and the mandarin oranges. Papa loved the clam chowder. I loved the salad! Kooper did NOT love much of anything.
We headed for home.

(Ethan and Cameo enjoyed spending the night there with the Wilkins family. Cameo shared this pic with me...

Evening was wonderful, as we were deluged with 45 minutes of hard rain.

It was also wonderful that we went to fill up the jeep with gas, and as we went home, I said, "Lets go see the temple." It was gorgeous and we stood by the fence and just looked. We walked more north and were stopped by a sweet couple that asked what this building was for. They asked who the man on the top was. Dee shared the purpose of the temple, the history of the Angel Moroni. We also told them about the upcoming open house, and told them to check things out on Mormon.org. It is amazing to me that the Lord is so mindful of all...that we "happened" to be looking at a temple when someone just was out driving and came over Thunderbird Mountain and saw the beautifully lit building and stopped to see what it was...and we "happened" to walk by this couple, who "happened" to ask a question.

This day was a day of a beautiful and sacred covenant event. Grace has been taught for eight years of what it means to be obedient to Heavenly Father's commandments. She has been taught by her parents, in both word and deed, what it means to live as Heavenly Father would want us to live. She loves Jesus Christ and wants to be a member of His church, to keep His commandments, to serve Him and to strive daily to be more like Him so she can live with Him someday. She made this choice on her own, and she knew everything about the covenant she was making. It was so wonderful for me to see all the family supporting her in this choice: Daddy, Mommy, Adam, Josh, and Sam, Great Grandma Dorrie, Nano, Papa and Grammy Rice, Grampa and Grandma Wilkins, Uncle Ethan, Aunt Cameo and Kaylee, Uncle Doran, Aunt Amber, Kelsie, and Kooper, Uncle Mike and Aunt Kristi, Hayden and Noah, and Uncle Nathan and Aunt Jessica, who couldn't come from Idaho, but sent lovely baptismal remembrances and a beautiful white flower for Grace to wear in her hair, and Aunt Kayty and Uncle Morgan, who had to work, but kept her in their thoughts. Grace, you are very, very loved!

Sunday - It was a wonderful Fast and Testimony Meeting at church today. We have the greatest people, both old and young, and they share very inspiring messages and testimonies every month.

Dorrie came by after church to drop up some Vegas-bound stuff.

We dropped off Kaylee's Grammy Bag and visited a few minutes.

Kayty came home and we finally saw her awake!

Quiet end to a good week.

We have been so very blessed to have so many wonderful things happen in our family this year: two sweet baby boys, Kooper and Sam,  born in January, Nathan returning home from his mission in March, Kooper and Sam's name and blessing in March, Nathan and Jessica sealed for time and all eternity in May, and Grace's baptism in September. We are very thankful for all our family that is here to support each other in these blessed events too!

Memories of Doran Charles Rice

Doran Charles Rice was born on September 1, 1926 to Theodore Thomas Doran Rice and Dorothy Edna Morgan. He was the eldest of six children, five that lived to adulthood.

Dad is going to add to this history as he remembers, since he has tried to get information on memories from relatives and they haven't had time to put them on paper. This is what Dee remembers from this special day, which is always Opening Day of Dove Hunting Season.

"The best memory that I have of my dad is dove hunting. Even today, when I smell the country smells, so many of the memories flood back, and I wish I could still be hunting with him.

"I started dove hunting when I was just a few years old. I was the fetch, so I would fetch the birds that he shot. I liked doing this. Most of the hunts seemed to be in the Buckeye farming area. In those days, you were allowed 15 dove and 25 white wing and there would be grocery sacks of birds. We would sometimes clean them in what was called pump backs. The big irrigation pumps would pump ground water and we could clean the birds in high volume water like a big faucet.

"My first time hunting was with a 20 gauge shotgun, which has been passed along to my sister Marina, as she used to hunt with my dad years before me. My first shot knocked me over on my butt. I learned to stand better after that. My first dove kill, I was so excited until I found out it was a nesting dove and was trying to keep me away from her family by their fake “look I am hurt, come and get me ploy” I shot it and felt bad. My mom comforted me. This did not stop me for going again and again. There were many days of hunting doves with my dad over the years, I always would get antsy and find it hard to sleep at night as I was so excited. I loved the smell of the farms and feed lots and of being in the desert and the smell that come with high humidity in the open areas.

"I have passed this onto my sons who like to dove hunt now. It was wonderful with them; being fetches, starting out shooting at a young age with their .410 shotguns, seeing them get birds and the excitement from the skills they learned.

"I have four grandsons now: Adam, Josh, Sam, Kooper. I hope one day to be with them dove hunting if they have the opportunity. It is a tradition that has been passed down from my dad and it is the most wonderful memory that I have of him.