Jury Duty

I got a juror summons...months ago. It kept referring to "only one day" and I really thought that was okay. It was my first week of official grandbabysitting for Kaylee, but Liz - the other grandma - took my Thursday, and I headed off to Superior Court of Maricopa County. Parking was easy, in a special juror parking garage. I grabbed my prepacked lunch, my laptop bag, my back pack full of stuff to do, since everyone told me you just sit there and never get called...and took the shuttle bus to court. The driver was such a nice man...a smile for each of us and a handshake...both to the courthouse, and even back at the end of the day. I went in, scanned my summons, and got my badge, settled down, watched the training DVD, and set out on my computer. Group after group was called back, but not me. I was getting hopeful I would get out early...and then, I saw my name! I became Juror 27 and headed to a courtroom. There, the 59 other prospective jurors were sworn in, and came in contact with an elderly gentleman in a wheelchair...who was accused of MURDERING HIS WIFE! Yeppers...My first trial, and it was for MURDER. There were lots of questions...and I only stood when they asked if we could serve three weeks of the trial, and I said I had to watch Kaylee for one week of those three. The judge asked why Kaylee wasn't in school...thought I said 9 years...not 9 weeks. He was skeptical. I even got a laugh...unintended...when each juror had to stand and tell their job, how long they had worked in it, etc....When I said, "Grandchild Caregiver...and 1 week"...everyone chuckled...not sure about the judge, though. We were questioned on gun knowledge...on abuse in our lives...and I heard some of the saddest stories...and I even cried a time or two...people face such challenges....After hours and hours...and a lunch break and afternoon break, I was not selected. I used to think that jurors picked for a trial were real nit wits...but the people selected were really awesome people...very intelligent...wide range of ages...but very competant. I have never heard the results...since there is another very public murder trial going on that gets all the attention...but it was interesting.

Another thing that happened. Since I knew I wouldn't need my stuff, I walked down the mile to the parking garage, through downtown Phoenix, to put it in the car. I was determined that each person I met on the street, I would look in the eye and smile at. There were many homeless people along the way, and I had no money with me, but they seemed genuinely happy that I at least looked them in the eye and smiled...well, at least most of them. There was this one guy...carried a gift bag with him...and I swear I was worried that he was thinking, "The next person that smiles at me, I am going to stab." The smile for him was really quick!

A Few Pics from Korea

Iksan District before the transfers...Elder Orr (far left) Mom sent this to me

Sister Furniss posts pics of the new missionaries on the mission blog every sex weeks, along with the meeting of their new trainers. I think I saw Elder Rice's head in this one. 

Elder Rice might be on the far right with his arm around the shoulder of his new companion

These are the new missionaries in the Daejeon Mission. Normally, they are pictures with the President and Sister Furniss, the office elders and AP's and their companions...but that would have been waaaay too many epole. 

Elder Rice meets Elder Smith. I just love waking up to see these pics on my email. It's like a gift. I just love Sister Furniss!

Just prior to the transfer, Elder Rice baptized this sweet young sister. He just loves this ward he is serving in and says they are just like family. I am so thankful for the wonderful people of Korea. They take such good care of our missionaries!!!!

Post Hunt Activities

While Ethan had to hunt, later, Cameo had to be part of a dear friends wedding. This week was the bachelorette party, so Ethan brought Kaylee over to visit. We had some great chatting time!

Javelina Hunt 2013

Dad and Ethan left bright and early Saturday morning, and headed up to Cam's Aunt Bobbie's Ranch to hunt javelina. They walked, they looked, they saw, and Ethan got off the first shot. Got one. Dad went to shoot, and his gun jammed. Ethan kindly handed Dad his gun and told him to shoot, but Dad was not putting it together and didn't figure it out until the pigs scrammed. It was nice, even so. I said in the photo album that it is so great to take your boys out hunting and teach them. It's even better to watch them as adults as they apply what they learned, combine it with their own skills, and are successful. All in all...a great day!

Kinda proud of my kid! He's quite the hunter!

Happy Hump Day

Well, Elder Rice's halfway point is here. With all the new missionaries in the MTC, the next transfer will be a 4 week one, so he should be released on February 26, 2014 (write that down, Gracie...your best buddy will be home then!) Sweet Jessica brought flowers to celebrate with me...

Epic Valentines Day Fail

Valentines Day...not my favorite holiday...just because things have always been rather tight and we would do what we could for the kids, and us...well, that was not that important. This year, since postage to Korea went up...now 60 bucks for a medium flat rate box...I combine mailings, so Elder Rice got a small box of Sees Chocolates awhile back. I did get Dee a card...funny ones are my favorite...and got Kayty an itunes gift card...her favorite, but I really had planned to get something for Dee...like bullets at Sportsmans' Warehouse...I had been given the assignment...two days prior, mind you, to get Jessica some flowers from Elder Rice...roses....red...one dozen. So, that was my first stop. Dee has to use the jeep, so I hopped in the van and went to Fry's. I got the flowers, with purple statice among the blossoms, the right card, and got out to the van. I did take a pic...in the parking lot, and was off to deliver, a la FTD when...the van wouldn't start. Over and over I tried. I called him at his supplier. He had no clue. Since we have roadside assistance, I was calling Allstate Towing, when it all of a sudden started. Hooray...except that I was not sure it would start again, so I went back home, flowers and all. No gift for hubby. I did deliver the flowers...my first mom job as a floral delivery person...but hubby had to just like the card.

Another Saturday Pizza Night

 We decided to make pizza every Saturday in February (though, now it is evident that Dad will be away and busy at a wedding reception on the 16th and I will be attending stake conference adult meeting that night, and then on the 23rd, Ethan and Dad will be Javelina hunting....or cleaning said Javelina). After dinner, Ethan took Kaylee into the piano, and Kelsie played some music for her. Thanks Amber for letting me catch this one on film. 

Surprise! Happy 22nd Birthday, Kayty!

Jessica and friends planned a surprise party for Kayty. We kept it a secret, too. The pics were hard to get...it was a surprise after all...but we did manage to get a few.

Jessica had the place decorated in Kayty's favorite colors!

Ready with the pizza fixin's and the root beer keg

You guessed it....Ethan got ahold of the camera!

Our wood choppers got to taste the product of their hard work. 

Kayty's Star Wars Cake from Darby Spooner. 

After pizza, root beer, and cake, they wore off all that sugar with some dance party game. On the wall to your right, we now have come to the 'dark side' and have a large screen LED tv that can hook up to the internet. The game was not ours, but Jessica fixed it up. We must NOT let Elder Rice know of the existence of said TV until he returns in a year (our missionary sons think we save up money and then spend it on boats, guns, pools, etc. when they leave. It is merely coincidence...but just in case Elder Rice thinks the same...)

Missionaries To the Rescue

The full time LDS missionaries serving in our ward, Elder Kellet from Wyoming, and Elder Maola from Tonga, wanted to do some service. They saw that I was a terrible wood chopper, and they love to come when we have a pizza night and share in the yumminess, especially since Tongan pizza is rare and expensive. So they chopped and sawed for us! So nice!!!

Not sure how Elder Moala's mom would feel if she saw this...her son weilding a  chain saw. Missionaries are not even allowed to swim on their missions...too much potential for drowning! He was awesome!!! 

Elder Kellet developed great chopping skills. This wood is doggone hard...I cannot evey get through it with four or five chops...on a smaller piece!