Week of February 21 - 27, 2021

Highlights:

Spiritual

We had a good Sunday meeting and spent our Sunday studying the scriptures and visiting online and on the phone with family and friends. 

Temples remain closed for proxy work.

I continue my morning foundation of General Conference talk, Book of Mormon reading, Come Follow Me Scripture study and prayer. 

I have indexed 3054 records and reviewed 23571 records so far this year. 

Family

The Wilkins Family

The Wilkins had a good week. Their dishwasher has been having difficulties and they had to wait a month for the new part, but it did arrive and now they are getting used to using a dishwasher again. 

Last week included dental appointment, soccer practice for Josh, and Sam lost his two front teeth!

They went on some fun hikes last week, Monday and Saturday with Grace and the Young Women. 

Valley of Fire was beautiful!

Work is going well, with the normal ups and downs of workplace drama. Happens everywhere. 

Adam continues finishing his senior year of high school and weighing out his future options. 

Grace is as happy as ever and is doing well. She and Adam are on the Stake Youth Committee and they are planning a stake youth conference since Trek was canceled. March 1st, she is reading to children at school via Zoom for Read Across America Week. Joshua is doing well. He and Elle are best buddies. He enjoys school and soccer practice. He completed his book report on a scientist, and he reported on Jane Goodall. At young men's, they are working on making bows and arrows. Sam was able to go to church on Saturday and watched a Friend Face To Face Broadcast from Salt Lake City. Mike took Sam and he got to eat muffins and juice and he had such a good time. 

The Ethan Rice Family

Last weekend, Ethan, Cameo, Grampy and the kids camped on Lake Lanier in Georgia. They had a wonderful time! Ethan worked part of his week in Pennsylvania. Kaylee had a special day at school on Wednesday. Here is what Cameo shared:

102 Days In 2nd Grade!!
Wednesday, 2/24, was Kaylee’s 102nd day in 2nd grade! They celebrated all day with fun activities! They watched the movie 102 Dalmatians after lunch! The kids were allowed to dress up as a dalmatian, wear white/black/red, or can even dress up as Cruella. Kaylee had a blast today.

The Doran Rice Family

Doran and Amber and the kids shared a weekend park visit with some friends. 

Morgan

Morgan and Cassie visited on Saturday afternoon. 

Kayty

Kayty had a good work week. She started by using up two vacation days. One day was spent at the Zoo in Camp Verde. She had asuch a great time

The Nathan Rice Family

Nathan and Jessica's long search for a new vehicle paid off and they found a very nice used car in Gilbert. The girls played with us for a few hours one evening so they could test drive and decide.

They now are enjoying their new car and sold their old car. They had a great trip Saturday to the park where they rode bikes and had such fun. They came by as Nathan helped Dad with a project. 

Dad's Garden

Garden is doing well. We harvested snow peas, spinach, chard, basil and oregano, plus many ruby red grapefruit. Blossoms are starting on many of our citrus trees. The crop from last year was small so Dad is hoping for better. 

Family History

Still trying...here are some photos from my dad as he was going to ship to Europe.

Other highlights

I continue to practice piano each day. Not any better, but I am trying. 

I completed my Intro to the Constitution Class. I really did learn a lot...about our founding fathers, the intended limits of government, the challenges that come with progressiveism and letting "experts" make regulations and decisions, and the sovereignty of the people. I signed up for a class called The Great American Story. 

Great jogs this week. 

We set out to improve the lighting in the living room. It has always been dark! With me as "fetch" and Dad working, he removed the old fluorescent fixtures and installed outlets in each end of the upper shelf and got LED fixtures. The room is now amazing! I still am going to get one new lamp for the table. 

Week of February 14 - 20, 2021

Highlights:

Spiritual

Sunday was good. It is such a joy to partake of the Sacrament! We now have a very short meeting so there is time for people to glove up and spray an antiviral spray and wipe down every single seat. No comment on the validity or need for such action. It is great to be there. The rest of the day was full of study and listening, calls and family visits.

No temple open for ordinances for the dead. 

I continue to begin each day with my spiritual foundation of Conference Talk (now on my 7th time through), Book of Mormon read, 20 minutes Come Follow Me study and prayers. 

I have indexed 2731 records and reviewed 20,791 records so far this year. 

Family

The Wilkins Family

Allison and Mike are well. While they were in the movie Saturday, they missed a horrible windstorm that uprooted trees and they even lost shingles. The family had a great Valentines Day with yummy food. Their Sunday meetings was a broadcast for East Las Vegas and Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke. Adam was accepted into Northern Arizona University! Not sure if he will attend but that news was exciting. He was also called as the Priest Quorum First Assistant. Driving is going well. Grace had a great time with her friend and they babysat that night. Josh is the new Deacon's Quorum President. He continues soccer practice. His season officially starts in March. Sam is doing well. His reading is going well too. Last Wednesday, there was a school fun run. Josh got 44 laps.Sam didn't keep track but he never stopped running. Awesome!! He enjoyed his Valentine exchange at school. 

The Ethan Rice Family

Grampy Wade arrived Sunday for a visit. The kids were surprised and were very excited.

The Doran Rice Family

Doran and Amber and the kids had a good week full of work and remote school and volleyball and karate. 

Morgan

Morgan had a busy work week. 

Kayty

Kayty had a good week at work. She worked some overtime and had time off Saturday. She is getting her home office better set up. We set up a temporary office a year ago, and she is now getting down a rug since the tile is getting worn by her work chair. Someday, she will have to return to work, throw out the dead plants and get her cubicle emptied. 

The Nathan Rice Family

This week included some car hunting since their old car can't pass emissions any more. They have had a few general health blips but are working on keeping up on home, work and family. 

Dad's Garden

Garden is thriving. We have harvested basil, oregano, turnips, cabbage, chard and other greens, and romaine. 

Family History
Technical difficulties continue...

Other highlights

I continue practicing piano and studying the US Constitution daily. Projects completed this week included more sealing of the flooring in the house. 

Another Rice Man Campout Friday night.

Not so highlights

Rush Limbaugh lost his year long battle with stage 4 lung cancer on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at the age of 70. I had listened to his show as I drove kids around for many years. He said he was a voice of reason and moderation, and that he was. I found that he had insight into what things meant. He spent extensive hours studying each night to prepare for the next day's show, and he could give his take on things. I did not always agree but I did value his opinion. His last year was full of treatments and hope, kind words and prayers (offered daily by me as well) and even a Congressional Medal of Freedom presented at the 2020 State of the Union Address awarded by Presendent Donald Trump and awarded and presented by First Lady Milania Trump. 

Week of February 7 - 13, 2021

Highlights:

Spiritual

We had a good Sunday, as it always seems wonderful just to attend church. Only three testimonies today since they are allowing more time to scrub the seats between wards. The rest of our day was spent studying and talking to family.

Temples remain closed for work for the dead.

I continue my daily foundation of Conference Talk, Book of Mormon, and at least 20 minutes of Come Follow Me study.

I have indexed 2314 records and reviewed 17883 records so far this year. 

Family

The Wilkins Family

The Wilkins family enjoyed a fun Saturday! Grace spent the night with her dear friend and the rest of the family enjoyed a fun movie! A rare treat now!!

The Ethan Rice Family

We spoke with Ethan and Cameo via Facetime a couple of times this week. Ethan got a new Cricket machine (new to them) and already has produced the neatest t shirts for the kids. Kaylee returned to in person school...Wednesday and Thursday...and then is off on a break for two weeks. All are doing well and looking forward to visitors coming in the near future. Cameo received a beautiful Valentine gift from her employer.

The Doran Rice Family

Doran and Amber had a good week. Kooper spent his Friday evening with his karate group at a party and Kelsie spent the night with a friend. 

Morgan

Morgan took the canoe for a camping weekend trip since he and Cassie are off work. 

Kayty

Kayty had a good week. The overtime hours are winding down and she is enjoying a few days of weekend. 

The Nathan Rice Family

Nathan and Jessica are good and had a busy week. Their main car got new airbags per recall, and it had to be emissions tested, which brought up other issues with it. His car remains under repair when Nathan gets time. They did enjoy time with family this week and found some great things in the neighborhood recycle piles. 

Dad's Garden

I picked a ton of snow peas, basil and oregano plus cabbage, lettuce, carrots, greens and spinach. Dads growing plants are doing well.

Family History
I now am moving to Dad's Military history. He served in a Peace Keeping force in Trieste Italy during the Korean Conflict. He never spoke much about it, but finding these pictures and letters of training and travel were very interesting. 

SORRY...I SPENT HOURS SCANNING LETTERS AND PHOTOS AND PUT ON MY DRIVE AND IT WON'T WORK TO UPLOAD THE PICS. 

Other highlights

I continue to work on my goals daily of piano practice and schooling. I completed my Constitution 101 course at Hillsdale College. I learned so much about what has happened to the Constitution. It explains a lot about how things work now, but is more distressing to see how we have moved little by little away from individual rights and limited government. I am now reading the Federalist Papers and other essays. 

Jogs were wonderful this week.

I baked three loaves of bread with dehydrated ground collard greens in it. I also made a batch of rolls. 

A sister in our ward and her daughter put on a lovely luncheon in her back yard Thursday for anyone who wanted to come. She had everything prepared so wonderfully. She taught us basic flower arranging and then we ate lunch. There were about fourteen of us there...and it was just the best to chat with the people I had not seen in so very long...almost a year for most! I was so thankful for the kindness of Jennifer Mortensen and April Hunt. I left with my soul filled to overflowing. 

Great week for yard work! Cool weather makes hauling trimmed branches so much better!

Week of January 31 - February 6, 2021

Highlights:

Spiritual

Our wonderful Sunday started with viewing Allison and Mike's Sacrament meeting on Dad's phone and being able to hear Adam play a piano solo, "Oh How Lovely Was The Morning". He played so very well and it was absolutely lovely. We sat in the back in the "no mask zone" near the door in case he began playing during our Sacrament Meeting. Their first speaker spoke for quite a while but we did get to watch and hear him play. 

What a perfect start to our Sabbath Sacrament Meeting. Sitting in the back is very different. Harder to see the front and hear the speakers, but we got to see people and children we had not seen in a year! Kids had grown a foot! A new baby was now walking. It was just awesome!

No temples are open for ordinances for the dead.

I continue to study daily my Book of Mormon, Come Follow Me lesson, and listen to at least one General Conference talk. 

I have indexed 1888 records and reviewed 15227 records so far this year. 

Family

The Wilkins Family

The Wilkins Family had a very eventful week. Adam is now driving with a learner's permit in hand! With Covid, the testing was scheduled, and then came the long long wait. He is enjoying driving...both the car and his mom crazy! Not really. He is doing well. Grace had an extensive orthodontic appointment with many things done, thus no pink and red rubber bands this time. She was saddened to learn that the stake Trek was canceled, since she was participating in a cute skit to get everyone excited about it. She also prepared for a solo that she will perform next week. Joshua is doing well and has returned to school part-time. He is anxious for his next soccer season to begin. Two of Sam's caterpillars became pupas and hatched into butterflies this last week. Their names are Cookies and CReama nd Jeff He has a mouth full of wiggly teeth. Cars and jobs are good for both Allison and Mike. 

The Ethan Rice Family

Ethan, Cameo and the kids enjoyed a wonderful weekend camping trip. Lots of fun, seashell collecting, smores making, new friends and a great getaway!

Ethan traveled via corporate jet on Monday for a work trip. He returned Wednesday. Lots of snow but got a lot of work done. 

Kaylee continues home school but gets to return to in person next Monday.

The Doran Rice Family

Doran and Amber, Kelsie and Kooper are doing well. Jobs are going well and the kids are enduring at home school. Kooper participated in a 3 hours Karate tournament on Saturday. Kelsie is busy preparing to teach her Young Women group and to lead a Youth Volleyball activity. 

Morgan

Morgan is well and has enjoyed work and some fishing. 

Kayty

Happy Birthday, Kayty on Wednesday. Her week was very busy with lots of overtime again. She did work just regular hours on Wednesday so she could sleep in. 

The Nathan Rice Family

Grammy Laurie got the girls some matching dresses. I am dying...so adorable.

They had a great week and are doing well. Nathan spends time working on the house and on the car and even was able to help us with the water heater. 

Dad's Garden

We continue to harvest snow peas, basil, oregano, turnips and all the other plants look good. 

Family History

More from my Dad, William Allan Kew's childhood

Other highlights

I helped at Market on the Move twice this week: two hours on Tuesday and Four hours on Friday. It was very hard work. I was able to get some vegetables on Tuesday but nothing was available for us to purchase on Friday. I was glad to serve but won't be doing another brutal Friday again. 

Good jogs this week with lovely weather and nice moonlight. 

Our new water heater was installed by two excellent plumbers from Hudson Services. It looks gorgeous and they did such a nice job!