Week of July 6 to July 12, 2015

Highlights:

Spiritual:
Dad completed reading Cleon Skousen's "The First Two Thousand Years". He is really enjoying reading the third book in the series.

Dad attended sessions at the temple on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

I was asked to teach a primary class on Sunday and had a wonderful experience teaching about the Parable of the Ten Virgins to two ten year old girls. 

I indexed during the week. My total for the year so far is 3066.

In our scripture reading, I am in Mosiah chapter 20 and Dad is in Galatians in the New Testament. 

Family:
The Wilkins Family
The Wilkins Family is doing well and Kayty has so far been entertained with a show by Adam and His Magical Knife, Sliding Sam, and looks to be having a great vacation! I am so thankful she takes a few videos for us! I know it's too hard when you are the parent/care giver to actually have time to capture the moment, so I am glad Kayty is ready to capture those moments!

The Ethan Rice Family
Ethan and Cameo have been busy working again. Ethan still delivers pizza after his regular job and Cameo was asked to come in for an all day work training on Saturday, which was later cancelled, giving Kaylee and Mommy quite a fun girls day together. They attended a baby shower for a friend of Cameo's on Sunday.

The Doran Rice Family
Doran, Amber, and family enjoyed a glorious vacation in Michigan and Ohio. Amber's sister drove 18 hours from her Texas home and surprised her at their dad's house.
 
The kids enjoyed the hotel pool

 

Morgan
Morgan called late Sunday night to wish me a Happy Birthday...from Odessa, Texas! He and a friend took a quick trip back, which ended up being a real problem, since the "friend" didn't want to come back to Phoenix, so Dad got him a bus ticket and he paid us back on Friday. He worked hard in the day before and during the party, making pizza, grilling chicken wings, and cleaning up. He had the awesome idea to put the worklight Doran and Amber got Dad for his birthday out on the outdoor kitchen. It was perfect! Lit up the work areas AND the pool!

Kayty
Kayty had quite a week! First, she worked, had bloodwork done, went to her endocrinologist,
went blonde...




went pink

 Went to San Diego for her One Direction Concert

 She stopped at home to unload concert souvenirs and load up a suitcase for her week in Vegas visiting her sister. She is presently busy with family and fun.

The Nathan Rice Family
Nate and Jess visited last Sunday evening, after publishing, brought us some yummy warm peach cobbler, and an awesome pineapple corer slicer, and stayed for a great visit!

Happy Birthday, Jessica on Wednesday!!!

They had another busy school week, and work week! Jess did well at her doctors appointment, though the particular doctor she saw on this visit wasn't her favorite. All is going well and Annalee is doing her best to keep Mommy from eating certain things...and sleeping at night. Nate sold the bell housing he painted, and machined his steering parts, prepped and painted a weight bench he is selling, melted lead and made some 45 caliber bullets.

Work
 Dad's work week consisted of many meetings, and he worked with training the 103 building at Engines in CPK and MSE. The trainers returned to Minneapolis, so he will be responsible for monitoring progress...at least, that is what they say this week!

We started Summer Celebration week here with Kaylee. We made flannel board ocean creations,

colored and stickered our own ocean, ate Goldfish Mac n cheese and ocean blue jello,

Grammy met Daddy for Kaylee's make up swimming lesson

She watercolored fish, played fish cracker match games, ate fish shaped sandwiches.

On Watermelon Wednesday, we did counting games with chocolate chips and watermelon cards, and classified sizes of seeds...smallest to largest...and used fingerprints for seeds,

We glued and decorated a sea horse, visited with Nano,

Counted fish bubbles (M&M's make that job much easier!

Watched "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"

Gave "Frog" the turtle medical checkups...

and swam. Busy and good week.

Dad's garden
I picked 10 sorry tomatoes on Monday, 10 on Friday, and then Dad picked everything he could off and we roasted in the warm pizza oven. Last and final batch of sauce.

Total tomato count for 2015 is 1583!

Peppers are still coming...

Dad's truck
Dad installed the windshield wiper motor, the gas tank sending unit, and with Nate's help, installed the power steering box, got the box connected, cut the steering wheel to length, and the power steering and a/c bracket is painted and installed!!

Other highlights:
 Monday morning, there was rain...everywhere...I even prayed the storm would continue out toward us...but it turned and hit central Phoenix. Boo!

I did get a beautiful rainbow, though.

Dad spent Tuesday evening mowing the lawn and blowing leaves. It looks so nice!

I got all the invitations to Nano's birthday party addressed and ready to send. Her Mexican dresses I found on ebay arrived and she came to pick them up.

I also received the wood blanks for my ornaments and started working on the final pattern. For Christmas in July this week, I read my book from Allison, watched "Rudolph"...until Kaylee got tired of it, made sugar cookie dough, and shopped and finished Kooper and Sam's stocking. I only have Adam's to finish...of the grandkids, that is. Adults are much more challenging!

I had gorgeous weather for hikes on Thursday and Friday! My legs were actually chilly when I went up the mountain!

I finally made the fleece blanket for Annalee that had been waiting my attention. I had never made one like this, and so I put if off. It really wasn't too bad.

Morgan and his friend Kyle worked for hours helping Dad haul off, package and store, and load JUNK and good stuff on the back porch and in the back yard. It looks so nice now! They worked their tails off preparing, decorating, cooking, and then they cleaned up the party and were gone with out a trace. The did great!

We roasted chickens for future meals in the hot pizza oven...

And on Sunday, roasted a butternut squash while we were at church.

Not so highlights:
Nothing that didn't work itself out. Patience and faith work!