Friday, December 31, 2021

Week of December 26-December 31, 2021

Highlights:

Spiritual
We enjoyed a wonderful Sacrament Meeting. A missionary returned from serving two years in Texas and reported on his experiences. 

Phoenix Temple remains closed for repairs. 

My daily morning foundation of General Conference talk(s), prayer, scripture study and Come Follow Me study continues each day. 

I indexed 25,025 records and reviewed 114,021 records this year.

Family

The Wilkins Family
The Wilkins family had a wonderful and busy week. On Sunday, they visited the Giving Machine in downtown Vegas, a wonderful blessing shared in various locations by the Church. 
They had an enjoyable week with hikes, walks and enjoying the blessings of Christmas provided by Mom, Dad and Santa. 

The Ethan Rice Family
Happy Birthday, Kaylee on Sunday!

Their week was full of work for Mom and Dad and enjoying Christmas toys for Kaylee and Wade. 

The Doran Rice Family
Busy workdays for both Doran and Amber and the kids are enjoying their Christmas haul. 

Morgan
Morgan is doing well and enjoyed a brief trip to the snow. 



Kayty
Kayty worked a lot of overtime on the four days she worked this week. She enjoyed finding after Christmas bargains after work. 

The Nathan Rice Family
Sweet little Eve was released from Phoenix Children's Hospital on Sunday and the family went home and snuggled together. Nathan and Jessica took Eve to a Lactation Center in Scottsdale on Wednesday to get her tongue released and the girls came here to play for a few hours. 








There were end of year eye doctor appointments, a trip to urgent care for Nathan and all the other usual things families have. 

Dad's Garden
Dad prepared his garden beds for some cold temperatures later in the week. We continue to get eggs daily and his pepper and snow pea plants are prolific!

Other highlights
I am enjoying the last few days of Christmas lights on my run.

I got a lot of Christmas taken down, but with rainy weather, I saw no need to take down the tree till the threat of rain is passed. (Though, I have waited two days now for a promised rain that has yet to materialize!)

Lots of thoughts run by at the end of the year. As I pack up things, I think of the next time I will see this wonderful stuff. No one knows what will happen. I could not have even imagined things in the world would deteriorate to such a level. I am totally for personal choice in regards to medical decisions. An individual should be free to choose his course of prevention and treatment for illness, not the government and not an employer. It is up to you what you do and I value that freedom to choose. I am not discouraged, but rather just thankful for the moments. We heard this morning that a family that used to be in our ward years ago is facing a terrible health problem. It is so easy to go from success and travel to desperately needing a miracle. We will fast with this family this Sunday as we pray for treatments and miracles. I spend my days in prayer for each and every family member for their health and their guidance in their choices. My family is my greatest blessing, and I am ever so grateful for Jesus Christ and His atonement that gives me the chance to be with them forever. 

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Week of December 19-December 25, 2021

Highlights:

Spiritual
Sunday was lovely with a music-filled Christmas program in Sacrament Meeting. My final time with my primary class was great and I will teach the 8-year-olds beginning in January. The Meikles stopped by and left toffee for us and took their ornament home with them. 

Phoenix Temple remains closed for renovations. 

My daily morning foundation of General Conference talk(s), prayer, scripture study and Come Follow Me study continues each day. 

I have indexed 24,216 records and reviewed 112,312 records so far this year.

Family

The Wilkins Family
The Wilkins family started with week with sick kids and exhausted parents. Grace and Allison were so blessed to be able to enjoy their own ward Christmas program as they attended church together. The family is doing well. Mike and Allison are busy working but had time to create wonderful memories in their new home this year. It is decorated beautifully with their regular tree, a Jesus tree that helped them study the life of Christ and His miracles, and their Wilkins Family Jesse Tree. Adam is doing well and really enjoying his job. He continues to save up for a car. Grace is full of joy and happiness with friends and family and has enjoyed all her days this season. Josh and Sam are doing much better after a bout of Bronchitis and are ready for Santa to visit.








There also were some openings at the temple for baptismal ordinances, so Mike, Grace and Josh were able to go and perform those sacred ordinances. The family also took a short trip to Boulder to see Christmas Lights. 

The Ethan Rice Family
Ethan, Cameo and the kids had a good week. Kaylee and Wade had school through Wednesday, Cameo worked, and Ethan finished up things around the house. He is truly enjoying his new 3D printer. Their Christmas Eve was spent enjoying a live nativity with some friends. 







The Doran Rice Family
Kooper got to go fishing with Morgan and Cassie early Sunday. He had such a good time!!




Doran and Amber continue to feel just a little better day by day. We so enjoyed seeing them at our family Christmas Gift party!!

Morgan
Morgan is doing well and enjoys the jobs he gets to work. 

Kayty
Kayty had a good week working and was a great help to me around the house!!

The Nathan Rice Family
What a week for this family!! Nathan invited us to decorate Gingerbread Houses with them on Sunday night. He makes his own gingerbread and template. These houses are huge and amazing. We had such a fun time actually decorating.




















 Early Wednesday morning, the girls came here and Jessica and Nathan went to the hospital. Within a few hours, Eve joined the family. The girls were totally smitten at all the pictures!!








The girls had a busy time here full of activities. They spent the night Wednesday night until Daddy came after breakfast on Thursday for them to see Grammy Lorrie. 





















They enjoyed Christmas Eve with Jessica's family. Christmas Day was a rough one. Santa came and the girls briefly enjoyed their gifts and a lovely breakfast. However, miss Eve had not been urinating enough, so Papa Ron picked up the girls and Nathan, Jessica and Eve spent her first Christmas at Phoenix Childrens Hospital getting ultrasounds and IV's. We were blessed that all was well and she was able to return home Sunday. 

Dad's Garden

Christmas Eve was a very rainy one, and the garden LOVED that!!

Other highlights
Just loved all the Christmas lights this week. I ran on Christmas morning but with all the rain, most houses kept their lights off and soggy inflatables down. Still it was awesome. 

We had our get-together for gifts on December 23rd. We were so glad and amazed that Jessica and Eve could be with us, only an hour after getting out of the hospital!
































Dad and I visited Nano on Christmas Eve, brought her a gift, and visited with her and Zelda. She enjoyed the visit. 

Christmas Morning


And Christmas Dinner at Grandmas