Happy 32nd Anniversary

Thirty-two years ago, at 9:28 am, we were sealed, for time and all eternity, in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Being married...best ever. Being parents...best-er. And Being Grandparents...bestest...totally!

Tonight, we were able to enjoy being parents...and watch the Grand Canyon University Combined Choirs perform "Elijah" with the Phoenix Symphony.

This performance...Kayty is the blonde!

We were actually this close! Dee and the Concert Master were almost knee to knee!

Two hours and thirty seven minutes. But all so worth it!



“Happiness consists not of having, but of being; not of possessing, but of enjoying. It is a warm glow of the heart at peace with itself. A martyr at the stake may have happiness that a king on his throne might envy. Man is the creator of his own happiness. It is the aroma of life, lived in harmony with high ideals. For what a man has he may be dependent upon others; what he is rests with him alone.”    David O. McKay

Happy Birthday Honey!

April 21st Dee turned 55...Yes! 55 means we can go to the grocery stores and get the senior citizen discount! (Now, I have been asked...on more than one occasion...if I would like the 55 and over discount...for MYSELF! Now, I realize that I usually come in my exercise clothing for early morning grocery runs...but really!) He is a hard one to buy for ...if he wants it, we buy it. We are old. So, I gave him a day of "whatever you want, whenever you want". He could call the shots. Whatever he wants to do, to eat...we would do it.

Started out great! He wanted trenches to finish the gazebo and garden watering system (though he planned on trenching, I got out there at dawn and did it. Actually wore a hole through my wrist splint.)

I dug the trench from the water pipes on the left up and under the concrete at the top so we could install another faucet. He was at an auto painting class. Then we put in the rock to complete the gazebo area. 

Nate cut this rock awhile ago. Jessica liked it. So, we called it Jessica-ite. 

I hand dug these. 

Even did a nice 45 degree angle. Not too bad for an old lady. 

I mulched all the grapevince. They are SO much bigger now! 

Grammy's Grapevine Gazebo...much nicer than I ever imagined.

We went to yard sales. We gathered rocks for more cementing in the gazebo area. It was going great...until...the phone rang. Kayty, on her way to work...with tire trouble. We went, changed the tire, and sent her on her way, only to notice that she had troubles with not one, but two tires.

This tire. along with being very warn, had picked up a piece of a mud flap.

He drove her limping car home. I drove her and her friend to Scottsdale to work. We then went, took the tires to Discount Tire, had them mounted, replaced them, and drove her car back to her.

Ethan and Cameo did take us to a nice Italian restaurant for his birthday dinner...the food was awesome and so was the company!!!

Pizza Nite

We haven't had pizza nite since Nate's Farewell Party. So, we decided to round up the kids for a pizza fest.

Most interesting pizza? Alfredo Pizza, with alfredo sauce, roast chicken, pineapple...

Seeing Red

Ethan and Cameo have an awesome game/video room with a full wall tv screen, a game table...and a wonderful wood floor that Nate helped Ethan put in. Ethan wanted a red wall. He started the red wall with a paint sprayer, and paint (the paint and primer in one kind) that was so thick that it literally backfired on him...twice. He literally looked like the victim of a terrible crime, fortunate to survive and the house looked right out of a CSI episode, with "blood spatter" on walls, on ceiling, and even red fingerprints on the hallway linen cupboard door (yep, Cam was away when he painted).

 He got a coat on of this primer and paint, one coat stuff. One coat? Red? Really... So, while Ethan slept one Friday night (he is SO not his father's son in the sleep department. Dad...a moth blinks and he wakes up. Ethan? I don't think he would awaken if the house fell around him!) Dad and I went over and put another coat..or two on.

 And then, I ran over and helped Ethan with the finishing touches. It was done in time for their party that night.

The next weekend...they painted one wall a light tan, and the wall behind the huge screen - grey. Ethan says he likes tan...and grey. Red...not so sure...

The Missionary Training Center

The Missionary Training Center in Provo Utah is an amazing place. The young men and women leave their homes and fly to be trained, from three weeks to three months. They learn language and teaching, but, most important: they learn about themselves. We receive an email every Tuesday (his MTC preparation day). The messages get better and better. This one, I had to share...



From: "Nathan Rice"
To: deesuz@q.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 8:40:56 AM
Subject: Re: The Day after Easter

HEy Family,
Hw is it going in phoenix where its like what 92 you said? Ha it snowed last week .

So back to other things. First of all. on Easter Sunday, Elder Dyer and I sat at a Sacrament table. We didnt bless but we broke the bread and such. It was super awesome. There were 5 sacrament tables and we gave the sacrament to all 2100 people that were there. It was awesome. The presiding authority at the meeting was....presidant Boyd K Packer. He and his son, who is a Seventy spoke. His talk was so amazing . He talked about how the Savior makes up the difference and we alone cant fix things; its impossible. But through the Savior, we can and that was awesome . He also talked about how fear cant exist with faith. ( Sorry bout my spelling korean has ruined me.) well ya and i have been scared to teach korean and all that. But when he said this, I remembered I need to have faith. The lord knows I can do this. That's why He called me here. I need to have faith that the Spirit will help me and guide me as i do this.

Last Saturday we had "trc". It was our first 40 minute lesson. We go into the room and there are 2 real Korean sisters like in their 30 or 40s i think . and I sat there teaching and i realized this is what it will be like... and i cant wait! Koreans are the most amazing people in the world.
THere are a lot of native Koreans here we are finding out that are going to English speaking missions. and we try to talk to them all the time. They are so nice. They always help us with the languange and teach us things and laugh at me when i say something dumb, which happens alot, (seriously it does) . But ya Koreans are super nice people. They love family and helping each other out. And I was thinking, and on Sunday we were having a testimony meeting ( just our zone). and I was thinking about my purpose here. I am slowly starting to realize it. It hit me so hard during the meeting that I went up and bore my testimony partly in korena partly in English. But ya i realized , like when we first got here, they always told us to remember why we are here and that will keep us here. And I sat and thought why am i here? Ya know I first came here because thats what we do: we go on missions. I never understood what that really meant until now. There are these amazing Korean children of Heavenly Father all over the place and they want to be happy. They try to get good jobs so their children and families can have a good life. a lot of times the children and the mother will come to america to learn elglish and come to school here. because shool there is super hard to get into . and like 10 times harder than harvard. so the mom and children come to america and the fathers stay in korea and work and earn money for them . They love family so much . And i thoguht about the Atonement and all it has done for me and every person that applies it in their lives. I think of after we die how awful it will be to not live in Heavenly Father's presence with our families forever. And now I think how awful it would be if those wonderful Koreans couldn't be with their Father in Heaven or their families forever. And then it hits me: its my job to get them on the path to acheiving that. Its a super awesome responsibility/opportunity to help them achieve this aweosme happiness that can only come from followitng the Savior. And now, I am realizing that when I study, I am not studying for myself , when I learn Korean, its not for myself: its for the Korean people. And now I realize I should have been studying a lot more and harder because I do not want my lack of preparation to be the reason someone doesnt get eternal life with their Father in Heaven and with their families.

Thank you for the package especially the bunny cake. That was awesome! I have noticed my headache and dizziness arent as bad after the blessing. I am trying to see if different foods alter it or not. I dring tons of water now and usually dont eat the dessert that comes with the food to see if its a sugary things . I love all the letters you send me. they are awesome to get. I love them .

And thank you so so so much for the "Preach My Gospel". I love it. The teachers saw it and were like wow thats awesome! Elder Hem especially loves it. He is the most happy, spiritual, grateful person I know here . I gave him it and he was so grateful and tried to give me stuff and i said, " no its free its a gift". Then later, I was ironing my shirt for Easter and he comes up and gives me this tie.(I'll send a pic its a Cambodian tie and nothing is better than a Cambodian tie - they are hand sewn. I tried for like 5 minutes to get him to not give me the tie. Then he said something that hit me "I love you more than this tie". I realized that I need to love everyone more than objects ya know. It hit me how awesome he was, he would give anything to help other.... and i would not be as good as him so this taught me so much. So i went back to my room, grabbed my best tie and snuck it in his room without him noticing ( because if he did, he wouldn't take it). Then next day, he tried to return it and my companion said, " hey its a tie trade. you traded fair and square. You have to keep Elder Rice's tie". haha so ya. I learn alot from Elder Hem.

I am almost out of time. Sorry i didnt say much about the mtc. Im doing really good here. Oh btw jessica is always right. The deodorant I use is the gillete stuff . i think i bought a pack of it before I left. Its somewhere in my room i thought.

Well i love you all and pray for you everynight and I hope you are all doing well.

This gospel is true. The Book of Mormon is true. If we follow its teachings, we will be happy and blessed. I know it! Mosiah 2:22,41 says it all: if we keep the commandments, we are blessed.

We have our new district in here and tonight I sucked at Korean. Then I see them and realize I used to be there. Than i think of how far I have come: I can teeach a lesson.. . not very well... but when we testify of truths, the Spirit is there and I know that the Spirit will carry my words to the hearts of those I teach .

Well time is ou.t I love you all so much. remember the Lord in all you do.

Oh and btw Elder Hem doesnt get mail or packages only from his companion's mom. Ss if you wanted to send him anything, he would love it. His address is the same. Just write "Elder Hem" instead.
If there are any awesome ties at Goodwill, they would be awesome here! They are like money here... seriously .
Love you all
Elder Rice

Easter

Easter...

This is what Elder Rice was mailed: camo candy eggs, ducky shooter (sorry, Elder Dyer) and Bunny Bait

Kayty and Morgan got chocolate bunnies....Dad got Now and Laters...licorice (yuck!)

I had choir practice at 8am...Church began at 9am. A baby was given a name and a blessing by his grandfather. Three great talks. Two Great choir songs. Gratitude in our hearts for the sacrifice our Savior made for us. Reminders of serving other...of doing His work, for we are His hands. Sunday School spoke of the atonement. One sister, we call her Julie B (her last name if very long!) talked about how we take ourselves apart, noticing our faults, and make ourselves less than whole. The Atonement of Christ makes us whole. No faults. Not too fat, or too tall. Not too dumb or too poor. With Him, we are whole. Then, I went off to sing with sweet little nursery children, age 18 months to 3 years. Cannon smiled. Londyn almost smiled when Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be, snapped that monkey right out of that tree. The Wise Man built his house upon a rock. Jesus wants us for a sunbeam. The Wheels on the Bus go round and round. Hop little bunnies hop...hop...hop.

Then, we went home for our traditional deviled eggs. I did boil the eggs ahead of time. I had dye. But, again...Sticks. In. The. Mud. I didn't have a "Drop By and Dye" this year, because it was sooooo far for Doran, Amber and Kelsie to drive (59 miles round trip) two days in a row.

Then, off to Granma's house for Easter Dinner and The Egg Hunt to end All Egg Hunts!

Layered Bean Dip...deviled eggs

Jessica coloring with the little cousins...Abby and Zoey

James, Jade, Liz and Wade

Shared and Shelley

Dad, Kelsie and Amber

Doran got my camera

Cam, Ethan and Wade

After dinner...theyre off!! Sam and Kelsie lead the way!

Liz was seriously searching through the flowers. 

Jessica found some too. 

I think Wade was a bit bothered that Liz was doing so well...ha ha!

Here is Nano, stealing eggs from a small child. I mean it, I cannot take her anywhere!!! Just kidding. Sam found her trustworthy looking to have her be in charge of his basket. 

There was one egg...with a tag that said "Nathan" on it. Kelsie found it, and got the prize...

A granola bar.

Kelsie did pretty good for her first hunt!

Cameo made this homemade from scratch Carrot Cake. It was a hit!!!

This is Jessica's Panda Pie. I had one bite. It. Is. Awesome. To Die. For!!!! And...it must never be in my house on a bad, I need chocolate day. It was like a bite of chocolate heaven!!!

Most of "my girls"...(miss you Allison!!!)

Morgan certainly brings out the "attack of the cousins". 

Kayty came after church. So glad to have her.