End of The Summer Monsoon

Arizona Monsoon is truly a strange thing. It's not unusual to get very little rain, and by August, you get to figure that every storm is the last one...I thought this downpour was our final one, but we fortunately got a couple more rains. This storm got to be photographed.

Elder Nathan Rice's Monthly Snail Mail Photos...

Family Skeet Shoot Fail, but Family Dinner Success

We planned on all going to Ben Avery Shooting Range to target shoot, and then have dinner together. Thank goodness Amber thought to check range hours...they were closed! So, we ate together anyway...we don't need much of a reason for a meal.

We Are Butchers!

A friend of ours LOVES to hunt...but only wants a little bit of the meat. So, instead of him paying the huge meat processing fees, we process it, and give him the meat he wants, and we then share the rest with family and friends. This is from an archery hunt...

Dee cuts...I cut and grind and double wrap and package (both freezer bag and freezer paper...meat lasts for years!) and label.

Prickly Pear Hunt....on Fallen Leaf Road

For many years, we pick prickly pears, juice them, and make jelly/syrup out of them. It used to be we all went to Sunset Point and picked them...as a family...but a summer fire destroyed them. We have been hit and miss for years, and even got a couple off our own cactus. This year, our dear friend, Julie B. invited us to come to her front yard and pick to our hearts content. Her front yard...is less that a half mile away. So nice to pick close to home.

Later that night, we had a SURPRISE VISIT! Morgan and a friend were on their way to California, so they stopped for a brief visit...Soooo nice!

Then I received these via my phone. Ethan took Kaylee to the kitchen sink to wash her hands...and she ended up IN the sink having the BEST bath!

It's The Little Things...

Sunday Morning, right after our Sacrament Meeting was over, I gathered my stuff and looked to leave the pew, when I was handed a brown envelope. I sat down and opened it...and found this: The Living Christ, in Korean! Cried my eyes out! After a little investigating, turns out Brother Clyde Dinnell had gotten one for each missionary mom in the ward, in their missionary's language where he or she is serving. Such a small thing...but so very, very kind and sooooo appreciated! Thank you Brother Dinnell!

Creighton Elementary School Reunion

Dee attended Creighton Elementary School (located in Phoenix at about 26th Street and McDowell Road) for 8 years. Through a high school friend, he found out about a reunion for those who attended. Dee went to TONS of work looking through school records (here is where his mom, Dorrie Sullivan, gets kudos. She kept his School Days book up to date every year, with picture, report cards, class photos...all of it. That book was one of the hits of the reunion, along with the class graduation photo that Dee had scanned and shared, printing a large version to take with us.) We drove up to Prescott Arizona, arriving late due to my sweet husband stopping to help change a tire on a hay trailer. The event was held at the Hassayumpa Inn. He and his friends had a blast catching up...

This gentleman's name? Morgan Morgan

As for me: Bored To Death! The weather was beautiful...cool and rainy. Should have brought my walking shoes and I could have walked up and down Whiskey Row. Anyway, Dee had a great time, and sometimes, you gotta do stuff that makes 'em happy!

Outdoor Kitchen Backsplash

Projects sometimes take awhile...NOT because we are lazy...but because we are formulating the perfect. Sometimes that takes time. The backsplash to the outdoor kitchen is no exception. We have thought and accumulated granite and tried and just hadn't done it. Then, Dee thought of using the river rock...the river rock that is in the Grapevine Gazebo...in the lower courtyard...on the Pizza Oven. I hadn't thought of it...but it was PERFECT! So, he rigged a system to cut rock with the tile saw WHILE he worked, and then we place and put...and he cleaned and brushed.

By using a bungee cord, the stone slowly cut. Some cuts took 2 to 4 hours, but they were beautiful cuts. In fact, when I went to select rock to place on the backsplash from the box, I was surprised there were so few rocks, since he had been cutting for days and days. Then, I saw ANOTHER spot...where the rocks he was keeping were. 

He has some granite for the top of the backsplash. There is not quite enough of the thicker granite,but plenty of thinner. So, we are pondering...It's almost done, at any rate. Hurrah!

Happy Birthday, William Allan Kew

You would have been 81 today. So, I made your favorite meal...or my rendition of it...on the china you selected when you and mom were married. Instead of balls of ground beef: ground chicken meatballs with seasoned breadcrumbs and Tabasco sauce; instead of Cream of Mushroom Soup: homemade mushroom sauce with crimini mushrooms; and instead of Minute Rice: brown rice. Happy Birthday, Dad!

Dress Your Guess...Rice, Rice Baby!

We have been blessed with the news of not one...but two new grandbabies. No, not twins...but Doran, Amber, and Kelsie...AND Allison, Mike, Adam, Grace, and Josh will have new members of their households in early 2014. Amber and Doran went for a special ultrasound...and Baby Rice was not shy...so they held a party...and all were to Dress Their Guess...

Doran preparing the Reveal!

Apparently, there are many "blue" fans...

Batteries in my flash died, so these wonderful friends and family members are hardly visible. There were LOTS of people...most of whom wore blue...

While taking a pic with Cam's phone, it is revealed that I am guessing girl. I am selfish...I imagined Grace, and Kelsie, and Kaylee, and this little girl...all sitting at my Grapevine Gazebo Table, sharing Kool Aid (blech!) and cookies. 

Only Cam could figure it out...

And Kelsie bore the message...first, "It's a girl!" which there was a very small cheer...and then, in true Kelsie fashion, she revealed that she was teasing...and that she would be welcoming...A BROTHER!!!

Jessica could not be there, but sent these with me...WITH the BOY guess!

Amber and Doran had created blue cake with pink icing...and a pink cake with blue icing.

Yummy night...great family and friends...celebrating!