Christmas In July

I am always so busy...full of things I need to do, or to attend...that often I miss out on my favorites. So, this year, I decided to celebrate Christmas in July...

I needed to finish Kaylee's stocking, so I gave myself a nightly quota of 30 minutes. It worked and now I am proceeding onto the next THREE stockings...two for future grandbabies and one for a future spouse...perhaps...

I baked sugar cookies for the missionaries that came to our house for dinner...

While Kaylee played, I put "The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown", "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and "Charlie Brown Christmas" on the tv.

I think she liked her apple slice much more!

(I had a similar response to "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer". She was not really a fan of Hermie, and wasn't terribly fearful of the Abominable Snow Monster. What??? That was the most fearsome thing I had EVER seen for at least the first eight years of my life!

I painted my ornaments...got them all done...however, no photos are available till after Christmas. The scripture I used on one of them, to make them "Wilkin' Jesse Tree Worthy" was Ether 9:19 in the Book of Mormon. Look it up and see if you can figure it out...

I didn't get to see "The Santa Claus: 1, 2, and 3" in order...so Christmas In July is expanding to August, though I won't make Kaylee suffer...only Dee!

Elder Rice Update...

Elder Rice is doing well...still in the city I can't remember how to spell or pronounce...of course. He is now a Zone Leader. Has a new companion. He has loved ALL of his companions...so blessed! Here are a couple of pics...

Rainy Season in Korea...they weren't kidding! He mocked that Arizonans do not know of what he is holding in his hand. Sadly, he was right!

Sister Furniss' Cinnamon Rolls...baked overnight... (I still wish mine looked that good!)

Old People Camping Trip

We have camped...for years...for our whole entire marriage. We have camped at the Grand Canyon (the nice Father and Son in the next site gave our small children their first experience with same sex relationships). We have camped near Yosemite (Don't Go Chasin' Waterfalls). We have camped at Pismo Beach and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (ever sat on a beach in a cold sand storm??? Not pretty!) We have camped at Yellowstone (Never tent camp at Yellowstone. There is a reason for the need to wash your dishes a quarter of a mile away!)

We have had many great times...and we thought this, another trip to Woods' Canyon Lake would be no exception. Many happy memories there...canoes, trout fishing, crawdad catching, renting the rowboats, Salmon Peach bait, Adam falling in...well, that wasn't such a happy memory - for Mommy anyway...but we decided to drive up, fish, park the Jeep on the Mogollon Rim, and sleep in the front seat.

The weather was breathtaking! Cool and moist. We tried our usual hike around the lake...me limping and Dad not accustomed to the altitude yet...took us OVER THREE HOURS!

Dad did help a little girl from Minnesota visiting her Grandparents, wanting to catch a fish in the same lake her daddy had caught one. Dad told Grampa how to rig it...what to use...and we found out later, she got one. She had fished for 3 days and finally got one on her last night!!! Still gives me goosebumps...Heavenly Father's tender mercies are over all...even a little girl, fishing at a lake...

Dee fished and caught nothing.

So, we went to find a place to park on the Rim...NOTHING! All were now paying, full to the brim, campsites. We drove 8 miles...finally found a spot. We ate...but the cold and my salad made for a freezing wife, though he enjoyed his Hormel chili...

I went to the front seat and put my sore swollen toes up on the dash. It was dark...and cold...and we tried to sleep. At 10 pm...we decided that this trip was not to be. We drove through beautiful rain home...got back after midnight!

On Youtube, we found someone who converted their van to a camper. THAT is our NEXT project!

Pioneer Day

Phoenix doesn't make much of Pioneer Day...(to be honest, Phoenix tries to avoid making to much of ANYTHING during the heat of the Summer). For those who are not aware, Pioneer Day is celebrated by Utah...by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...as the day, when the pioneers had been crossing the plains from Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and across the sea, and came over the Wasatch Mountain Range...and Brigham Young said, "This is the place." Utah celebrates with parades, fireworks, picnics and a day off work. Nothing like that here, but I usually try and make a pioneer meal. Once, I made rice pudding...epic fail. Rice kids DO NOT like rice pudding at all! One year, Nathan spent hours hand grinding dried corn to have for corn bread. This year, I tried to stick to pioneer breakfast...homemade biscuits, sausage, and gravy.

Dutch Oven lined with foil, all ready for Peach Cobbler.

Flour, baking powder, salt, and grated cold butter, waiting for the milk...

Before the oven...

First thing to bake in my new outdoor kitchen oven!

Sausage...no, it wasn't homemade venison sausage...Just something we got at WinCo.

This was a happy pioneer. Typically, I only make biscuits and gravy once a year: on Father's Day. To get them twice within two months is total heaven for him!

 And, since Amber and Doran live a bit away...35 minutes or so, we decided to take our Pioneer Peach Cobbler out to them to share. Kelsie was away with a friend on a camping trip, but we still had a great time.

Enjoying the hot cobbler with cold non-pioneer Breyer's Ice Cream. 

Paybacks Can Be Painful

Notice that the date of this post is right after my "laugh my head off" hunting photos. Call it Karma...or call it clumsy. The night after...sitting in my rocking chair...working on a stocking...went to check to see if my missionary's email had come...kicked the foot of the couch...PAIN GREATER THAN CHILDBIRTH! Black and Blue...hardly could walk...(I am writing this on August 10th, and I am finally able to WALK my 3 miles, but still cannot jog!)...

And this is before it got all black and blue!

Prisoner Escape

In the Book of Mormon, in Alma, the Stripling Warriors are assisting in the battle against the forces of evil. Because the Lamanite prisoners took personnel to guard, it was decided to send them to the main prison in Zarahemla, accompanied by guards. It says,

Alma 57...

16 And now, in those critical circumstances, it became a very serious matter to determine concerning these prisoners of war; nevertheless, we did resolve to send them down to the land of Zarahemla; therefore we selected a part of our men, and gave them charge over our prisoners to go down to the land of Zarahemla.

 17 But it came to pass that on the morrow they did return. And now behold, we did not ^ainquire of them concerning the prisoners; for behold, the Lamanites were upon us, and they returned in season to save us from falling into their hands. For behold, Ammoron had sent to their support a new supply of provisions and also a numerous army of men.

After they return and end up assisting in a victory, they share this...

 28 And now it came to pass that after we had thus taken care of our wounded men, and had buried our dead and also the dead of the Lamanites, who were many, behold, we did inquire of Gid concerning the ^aprisoners whom they had started to go down to the land of Zarahemla with.

 29 Now Gid was the chief captain over the band who was appointed to guard them down to the land.

 30 And now, these are the words which Gid said unto me: Behold, we did start to go down to the land of Zarahemla with our prisoners. And it came to pass that we did meet the spies of our armies, who had been sent out to watch the camp of the Lamanites.

 31 And they cried unto us, saying—Behold, the armies of the Lamanites are marching towards the city of Cumeni; and behold, they will fall upon them, yea, and will destroy our people.

 32 And it came to pass that our prisoners did hear their cries, which caused them to take courage; and they did rise up in rebellion against us.

 33 And it came to pass because of their rebellion we did cause that our swords should come upon them. And it came to pass that they did in a body run upon our swords, in the which, the greater number of them were slain; and the remainder of them broke through and fled from us.

 34 And behold, when they had fled and we could not overtake them, we took our march with speed towards the city Cumeni; and behold, we did arrive in time that we might assist our brethren in preserving the city.

Now, I share this, not only to share part of the Book of Mormon, which I love, but to equate this to a real life adventure...of sorts. 

We are plagued with squirrels. Now, I have NO idea while a little bushy tailed squirrel somehow thinks it is cool to leave the higher...and cooler...mountains of northern and eastern Arizona to venture to the big city...that is doggone hot! They are not indigenous to our area. Yet, they come...and they dig...and they eat...and they make a terrible mess. So, Dee traps them. He is a softie, so he relocates them, when he can. (My opinion is not so soft!) He takes them to a local park and frees them to run the mountains and burrow wherever they want. 

Thus, we return to our tale: he caught one...and put the trap in the Jeep, to relocate. He went to get in, and the 'prisoner' had escaped...and had occupied the Jeep! There was NO WAY he was going to drive anywhere with a mad and crazy squirrel running all over the inside of the Jeep, so the hunt was on. I will include only a few pics of the hunt...mainly since I don't want to upset my grandkiddos...and I was laughing so hard the whole time that they are not that great anyway...

There was only one, so no "Lamanite-like" group sword-fall was involved...and we forthwith will opt for MY method...so much faster (alas, but so much less amusing!)

Such a Great Birthday!

I had a great birthday! From dawn...to days later!

I woke up to

Yes...wonderful, hand made birthday cards from these two sweethearts! Grace shared each and every word with me, including "You are 53. So old!" It's all good, though! I will move in with her when I am 93 and REALLY SO OLD!

Then, my sweetheart shared this:

And this is all good, because, really, I don't want him to buy me anything. My needs involve his hard labor...and he is finishing my outdoor kitchen...Best. Gift. Ever.

From Ethan, Cameo, and Kaylee...

A beautiful card, my favorite food ever...See's Nuts and Chews...and an accessory to go with my newest Christmas Cooler Weather Village...

BTW...here it is at home on my shelf. Since some things come on Christmas, and mean piano landlord Kayty doesn't let me keep the village up all year, I keep the new things out on my shelf...to enjoy all year...

The piece on the left...well, I purchased it through Ebay, and I payed a LOT less because it had no box...so it gets year around status every year.

Aside from welcoming all of us for a total invasion, the Wilkins...

...made their Annual Fourth of July Homemade Ice Cream......both vanilla and mint chocolate chip that was to DIE for...individually taste tested by a Super Hero Ice Cream Conisseur..

... helped me ward off Alzheimers' Disease putting together Thomas the Train Puzzles. It was fortunate that I did NOT have to remember each train's name. I mean it, there are more names to trains that employees for the City of Phoenix! I do remember Cranky (Heck, I live with someone who is a bit on the cranky side)

 ...taught me the fine art of fort building...

... kept my agility level high by having me climb inside...and then honed my espionage skills as we spied on Mommy while she folded the laundry, and then attacked her with "fire" (sponges)...

 ...gave me a truly magnificent fireworks show...and I am very hard to please (Not a fan of fireworks!...Hey, I live in Phoenix...you go out in 120 degree darkness, stand on molten pavement, and stare in the sky with a breeze hotter than a blow dryer in your face...not my idea of entertainment. We need to talk Thanksgiving Fireworks!)

 ...and then presented me with a most lovely birthday celebration, complete with Apple Pie from Cameo, and that doggone great ice cream...

 and they even assisted in candle extinguishing when I could not manage to blow out FIVE STINKING CANDLES!

Upon my arrival in Phoenix two days later, I was greeted with...

A Party Decorated room, thanks to my Party-In-A-Person Kayty...

Notice the box on the bed...the most adorable ornament for my Christmas tree: a nativity in a gourd

 Kaylee was truly in shock!!!

As I checked through the mail that had accumulated, I noticed a box...

From Doran, Amber, and Kelsie...

These things are absolutely AMAZING! The ladel perfectly fills a pint canning jar...and the pour spout is on the end, not the side. The green "things" are holders for plastic freezer bags. Do you know how easy this makes my job??? I try to use cups and have made such a mess. These I used the next night...and they were even more awesome than I had imagined!

My sweet visiting teacher from church, Jeanine, brought by...
All the makings for more than one yummy dessert...pound cake, brownies, sliced strawberries, blueberries...and whipped cream...

and then the next Sunday, in nursery (I lead music for the nursery kids Jeanine teaches)...
I received an official Nursery Birthday Candy Bar!

A bit later, when I was talking back and forth on Facebook with Morgan...

Morgan Rice

Happy birthday btw

And Kayty "reminded" Elder Rice ...

mom im sorry i forgot your birthday. i forgot about the 4th of july as weell f that makes it anybetter. 

Mom and Dorrie came through with money...already bought a new red rug for the playroom!

All in all...it was great! Thank you so much to everyone...