Week of July 23 - 29, 2017

Highlights:

Spiritual
Sunday was very busy for me. I kept getting calls to substitute and assist. I was chorister in Sacrament Meeting, gave the Sacrament Meeting opening prayer, and participated in giving part of the Relief Society lesson. It was a very good Sunday with much valuable instruction in all our meetings.

I completed my visiting teaching on Monday with a visit to one sister, and a text to an out of town sister. Dad completed his home teaching on Sunday night.

Dad tried twice to go to the temple but the sessions were very full. It surely doesn't happen all of the time, but its good to see it does happen.

I had a meeting with Angie, my co cub scout leader, and we planned our scout meetings for the next couple of months.

I am in 2 Nephi 16 in my Book of Mormon reading.

I have indexed 22710 records so far this year. The Washington marriage records seem to have run out, and I am testing out trying new projects, which makes it slow going. Once you get the hang of doing a type of record, it goes faster. Those first trials are slow and tedious.


Family

The Wilkins Family
Sam made the best of playing basket ball this week.

Grace has been a super breakfast chef too!!

 And to top it off, notice she served on silver platters!

Adam got new clothes for school, including this shirt...


The Ethan Rice Family
Good and busy week for this family. We got to see a cute video of Kaylee and Wade racing in the upstairs hall: Kaylee on Rhodee, and Wade "walking" and pushing a stand up toy. He was doing pretty well, too.

The Doran Rice Family
Doran, Amber and family are doing well. Both jobs are going well and Amber is getting a raise. They are getting things ready for Kelsie to go to school, and Kooper to go to preschool. Amber was part of the Saturday morning news broadcast...

Doran even got to be on...

Morgan
Morgan is staying with us temporarily. He moved out from his apartment on Wednesday. Work is still going well and he spends his spare time fishing.

Kayty
Kayty started up her old/new job this week, though it still is very slow. She stays her full 40 hours. She dressed up like Poppy the Troll for Crazy Hair Day.

She kindly transported Morgan home from work twice this week at 2:30 am. Her health has been good.

The Nathan Rice Family
This family celebrated a last family home evening on Monday with Jessica's brother and sister in law, Josh and Cynthia. Nate came over much later to weld and complete the receiver hitch project. He worked more on Tuesday as well, though it was a struggle with all the tools he was using either catching fire or breaking. He got it done and installed on Friday evening. He completed his internship and they took him out to lunch at Garcia's and gave him great accolades for the work he did while there. They are preparing an offer to present to him to work after graduation in four semesters. Jessica went to the doctor and was concerned Elisabeth was measuring smaller than she should be. The Arizona and Idaho doctors consulted and she will see her doctor at home as soon as she gets there and they will determine what is going on. They got everything packed up and spent the weekend loading up. We had them over for Chinese on Saturday. Nathan stayed late to cast bullets and we took him home after he was done.  I looked at all that had happened in these last nearly four months. It has been the best to become so well acquainted with Annalee. It's hard in just a few moments of a visit, or even on FaceTime when they are small. Nate welded Dad's wok table, got us a new shower head for the bathroom, and worked on lots of projects. I got tons of sand moved to make a place for Nate's truck to move here, but that will have to happen when we figure out how to move it. I am grateful we had this time. Four more semesters, graduation, and they choose where to settle and where to work.

Christmas in July
I repurposed another house...

Painting stuff is all put away for the year. 

It wasn't a super Christmas in July this year. I just was busy hauling sand, cleaning up yard stuff, keeping up with the house, and extra family helping that was oh so needed. 

Dad's Garden
Dad's date palm has a good crop this year. We had to figure out how to cover these huge heavy bundles to protect from birds, so we worked Friday and covered one big bunch with two large pillow cases and one bunch with a Power Rangers sheet.

Year of the House Part 2
Nothing this week. We reserved any spare time for helping Nate and Jess if they needed it.

Other highlights
Good and sweaty jogs this week, and even got to jog to the temple on Saturday.

Lots of yard clean up this week. I finished hauling sand and there is plenty of room for Nathan's truck to be here. We just have to figure out how to get it here. We also raked mesquite beans (it's not too bad knowing it's the final crop of the year), and Dad blew tons of pine needles and leaves from the neighbor's trees (we did get ahold of the subdivision HOA president and the had their people trim some of the trees. We will need to re assess in a month and see if they need to trim higher on the trees. There are high branches very much over our yard.

Monsoon cooler weather at times. Such a nice break.

Not so highlights
A dear friend in our ward, Audrey, had breast cancer surgery last week. The final pathologies are in. Tumor size of softball (curious since she had a mammogram in February)- deemed Stage 3, cancer in lymph nodes. She will begin chemotherapy in two weeks and radiation as soon as they do a PET scan. We live in a ward full of very strong, faithful, temple attending members. They home teach, they care for their callings. The youth are amazing. And yet, at this time, my prayers include April, Audrey, and Carol who were diagnosed within the last few months with cancer, Doug and Cassie who are having heart troubles, Linda and Shannon who both lost husbands unexpectedly this year. Trials come to all. I am just trying to be thankful for every moment. 

Week of July 16 - 22, 2017

Highlights:

Spiritual
We had a good day at church. I substituted in a CTR 5 Primary class and it went well. Two of the four very active spirits in that class were out of town, so that made it a lot easier. Dad taught in High Priest Quorum and his lesson went well.

Dad attended a session at the temple on Thursday evening.

I am reading the August Ensign Magazine.

In the Book of Mormon, I am in 1 Nephi 21.

I have indexed 21989  records so far this year.

Family

The Wilkins Family
A friend shared this picture on Sunday

The Wilkins are doing well and enjoying their summer! Adam let us know Josh is the one who has been inviting Adams Facebook contacts to play a favorite game.

The Ethan Rice Family
Ethan went on a business trip to Indiana Tuesday through Thursday. The weather was unusually warm, but he accomplished what he needed to. We got some cute videos sent to us this week! Wade got his first haircut on the 17th, and Ethan got to experience the fun of cutting a toddlers hair.

The Doran Rice Family
Doran had a good week. Dad was able to go fishing on the east side of town with Doran and Morgan on Friday night. Doran was the catcher for the evening.

The Morgan Rice Family
Morgan and Christy went fishing on Friday, but Christy was wiped out, so she tried to nap in the car.

We also went and met up with them and Dad fished a bit late Saturday night. It was warm, and I was absolutely certain there would be a body floating down that canal, but the talking is fun, and that is what fishing is all about. Morgan had caught a huge catfish earlier in the day, but it got off the stringer.

Kayty
Kayty started back at her old temporary job this week. The days were boring, but good. She went and saw the movie "Dunkirk" on Friday night and really liked it. She even mentioned the story line, which is miraculous since her favorite One Directioner, Harry Stiles, had a major role in the movie.
She worked hard on creating Poppy Hair for crazy hair day at work next week...

Health has been pretty good this week.

The Nathan Rice Family
The time Nate and Jess are here is winding down, and much is needed to do to prepare to return home for them. Jessica and Annalee spent time with Jessica's grandmother who was visiting in town. They did some shopping and enjoyed time together with her family. Nathan came by a few times during the week to work on projects to get them home as well as other things he was working on. He had overtime at work every day which was a great blessing. Jessica had a bit of a labor scare and saw the doctor on Friday, but all was fine. She will be so relieved to get back to her regular doctor soon. I got to watch Annalee on Friday night while they went out to dinner. Saturday was a huge work day. Nate is busy completing projects he designed to take home to Idaho,

plus he welded a unit up that can be put in a trailer

hitch to carry extra things back. Jessica and Annalee visited and we played, watched movies, Annalee swam in the little pool, she napped while Nate and Jess ran a few needed errands, and we ate some simple pizza oven pizza.

Dad's Garden
Dad has peppers and basil growing. The gazebo grapevines look awful and I am hoping we can just replace with some sort of climbing vine. The grapes out by the chicken pen look great.

Year of the House Part 2
Dad got the forms off the concrete barrier and got the high spots removed and prepared the bolts to add the wall. We had a leak on the back porch. We feared it was a slab leak, but were blessed to find out it was a pipe under the patio causing the problem We were up very, very late Thursday night, but we were blessed that it was easy to repaired.

Christmas In July
Christmas in July has been not as much as I have done in the past. I did get all my ornaments completed last week, and I did watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, one of my childhood favorites. This week, I worked on repurposing houses purchased at Deseret Industries. I made a temple (still need a "Holiness to the Lord" sign created for the front as well as an Angel Moroni for the top...going to get a tie pin for that one) and "Nano's Blankets". My next project is "Dorrie's Divine Divinity", which I started on Friday, and then all my paint will be put away.

Other highlights
Just walked around the yard on Sunday morning and made sure the hut didn't leak (it didn't, but the spiders are loving the dry dark space...gotta get them gone!)

We had rain Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday and Saturday afternoons/evenings/ nights! It was such a blessing! The big storm ended up getting a limb or two off the back yard tree...so dad cut and I hauled. We also trimmed the front yard mesquite tree so no limbs would break. We have quite the bulk pick up pile already. 

Mom and I went on our regular Thursday morning shopping trip. I took her to get a hair cut, then we stopped at a Cricket Store to replace her lost cell phone, and then Fry's for groceries.

We got our new computer and are busy with two computers, one PC and one Mac, getting things from one to the other.

Not so highlights
Dad's job is crazy, but that is pretty standard. 

Week of July 9 - 15, 2017

Highlights:

Spiritual
We had a wonderful Sacrament meeting. Our Sunday School presidency spoke. Now, I will be honest, I anticipated it to be a very boring meeting. Boy did I repent!! They all gave wonderful talks about "Teaching in the Savior's Way" and each brother shared personal experiences that supported the doctrine shared. In Relief Society, we had a message on Self Reliance. I am so grateful to be part of such a loving and caring group of women of all experience levels, who shared the importance of letting your kids learn work and staying out of debt. We were singing the closing song, and the chorister, Judy Pulver, began shedding tears, and Sister Bywater got up right during the song, put her arm around Judy, and they both finished leading the song. I was asked to say the closing prayer, and expressed such gratitude for being a part of this great sisterhood.

I went to choir practice and enjoyed singing "Faith in Every Footstep", now a very missionary themed song. Afterward, my friend Wendy Berghian, who is in the Relief Society Presidency at the prison, wanted to share with me something that my Jessica asked to be shared in a talk being given in another ward about the prison ministry. Here is what Jessica wrote:


" I grew up in an inactive LDS home. My family stopped attending church when I was four years old. Though I was raised with the church's morals, I never had an understanding of who my Heavely Father and Jesus Christ truly were. My drug addiction go out of hand and I ended up in prison. Wehn I look back on my life as a whole, I can see how the Lord has continually tried to ge me to open the door for Him! Even during those times when I probably didn't deserve it, I had to hit my own personal rock bottom before I would let my hardened heart be touched.

I have read the Book of Mormon three times. I have completed the seminary study guide. I know without a doubt that it is true!! I know the way I feel each time I read it.

In the beginning of my studies, my testimony started because of Priesthood blessings. I have received several blessings that the things I was told truly came to pass? What an awesome way for our FAther in Heaven to show me that he loves me.

All of us here are so blessed to have the Lord's servants come to teach us each week. It always touches me each time I see them walking up the sidewalk with genuine smiles on their faces. They are a perfect example of how a person is supposed to serve their calling from the Lord.

Now that I have the knowledge I do, there is no turning back. I am so blessed that the Lord never gave up on me. I look forward to one day in the near future going to the temple. I am so thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ! How I love my Savior! "

Jessica

Prison ministry works miracles. Heavenly Father loves ALL His children and NEVER gives up on them!!

Dad attended a temple session on Tuesday evening.

Dad visited the Barton family for home teaching on Sunday and spoke with Doug Burrow that day as well. He is in a lot of pain but is recovering from his open heart surgery

I completed reading the Book of Mormon this week and began again. I am in  1 Nephi 4.

I have indexed 21132 records so far this year. 

Family

The Wilkins Family
Poor sweet Sam ended up with an inner and an outer ear infection this week...




The Ethan Rice Family
Here are some pics of their 4th of July






 







 


Look at Wade go



 

On Wednesday, they went swimming with a friend, Katie Adair, and the Lake Dow Club

They checked out Perimeter Mall on Saturday










They are enjoying their new home and Summer in Georgia!

The Doran Rice Family
This family had a good week: rescuing dogs, working hard,

and they put together a shelf for Kelsie.

The Morgan Rice Family
Morgan and Christy are doing well. Morgan enjoys his four day work week, and spend lots of extra time fishing. Dad was able to join him on Saturday morning






Kayty
Kayty's last week at work was good, and since so many have quit, she got a little overtime in, and trained her replacement. She is looking forward to her new week, and spent Saturday doing this...


She got the tickets to the November Nial Horan concert that she wanted.

Total saves: 1 major with seizures, 2 minor

The Nathan Rice Family
Nathan and Jessica's time here is winding down. Nathan worked hard at work and is preparing presentations. Jessica had to cram two weeks of schoolwork into one, since her project partner is graduating next week. I got to play with Annalee while Mommy did homework and participated in a class meeting. They enjoyed having dinner with Grandma on Wednesday. Nathan worked on trying to get his projects done much of the day Saturday, and he and Dad enjoyed some New Asian Kitchen. He hurried home to get his Powerpoint Presentation for school about his internship complete and uploaded by Saturday night.

Dad's Garden
Peppers are struggling in the heat but are enduring.

Year of the House Part 2
Forms were put up, concrete bags purchased, and Nathan helped haul in buckets of concrete and got this thing poured.

Other highlights
Our "monsoon" is seeming to appear finally. While I do still run and come home a sweaty mess, it's because it's more humid, not because it's 99 degrees at 3:30 am.

I have been working on moving the sandpile for the last few weeks. I can fill my wheelbarrow with 13 shovel fulls and haul 5 wheelbarrow loads on most mornings after my run. I only could do four loads on Monday...just too tired...but I am making progress.

Nano is still struggling due to her medication side effects. We are at one week from stopping the meds and are just trying to patiently wait out her memory loss and confusion. She is awesome in the mornings, and I took her shopping again on Thursday, and she directed me where to drive flawlessly. Scott makes many evening visits to help her out. I have put signs over the oven controls so she doesn't get that turned on and have to call to get help turn it off. Keep her in your prayers. We may not see improvement till the end of August. Next Thursday, I will take her shopping and to get a haircut.

We had a lovely rainstorm on Saturday. Finally, our area gets the first good rainstorm. No trees were hurt, and the whole yard seemed to drink up the water!!

Not so highlights
Work is still a struggle. Mr. VP decided to take all their smart phones and issue flip phones. It seems he is under the impression that all their work is 8 to 5 at their computers. In reality, dad gets emails (and the dings that alert him) morning, noon, and night, six days a week, and he checks things out everytime. Emails and meeting notices come day and night, and he usually acts on them. Smart phones are also used on supplier visits for locating and to get checked in on flights. Dad's boss told them to place their flip phone orders, but he is holding them, hoping to help the higher ups realize that the Supplier Development Engineers need these little hand held computers to do their work, which is never ending!