Spring Cleaning

I went out side to see what all the noise was (it wasn't rock band) and, low and behold, it was the Power Washer. Yes, of course we have one. It must be spring cleaning time.




Good thing the windows are already done.

History in the Making

Our Stake has challenged each Ward to come up with 250 names to take to the Temple for ordinance work by May something. Keith, and others, is taking the youth this Wed. to the temple to do the baptizims for said 250 names.

I would have liked to contribute one! I can't seem to find one that is not a duplicate (there are billions and billions of duplicate works), or one that is questionable for some reason (John and Mary and 'benjamin for instance). No really, any one at all, I can't find.

(Plus a personal family story of a pioneer is wanted for Dave to take and study for the youth Handcart Trek!)

Okay, Okay, I'll calm down, but that is what I have been working on.

David achieved his Life Scout award yesterday at a really nice Court of Honor. He even did a great job of conducting the ceremony too. We are all very proud of him. Notice the difference/growth in the posted pics today and the old time photo at the top of this blog taken only 3 months ago. His turning 14 has really pushed a lot of buttons, like growth and maturity and hairiness and deep voice stuff etc. For example, He is thrilled that people on the phone are now mistaking his voice for Keith instead of his Mom!
I did not have all his merit badges sewn on his sash, much to his chagrin, (insert appropriate quote here about "badges") I made him wear it any way. He is happy! Can ya tell?

DAVID SAYS," I am hunkered down to be the same height as Rae, I am really at least 3 inches taller than she is. Change it or say something, Mom".

no pronouns on Saturday

Uhmm.....more rock band, yard work, laundry, dishes.
Agreed to do just the tables for one of the Wedding receptions. Am okay with that, good actually.
Ordered new glasses for Mom at Costco.
Discovered defective ligaments in feet from extra bones at the podiatrist.
Am trying to train for the youth hand cart trek! Bad feet make it tough to do so..
Sewing pioneer clothes this week.
Try not to copy sister in everything, was gonna skip the bad feet part.
Rachel is on a roadtrip with friends to tour some of AZ.
Haven't heard a word from Dan in days.

Missed the Mark

I didn't get any pictures of our hikes(2) in the spring desert this past week.
I didn't get any pictures of Keith washing all the windows and screens on our house. Nor did I get any pictures of Dan after having all four wisdom teeth pulled.
(He now has a dry socket and is under going more treatment for that.) Too bad we missed those pictures huh?
These are all memorable things in my life and definitely worth mentioning here but without photos they miss the mark somehow.

I do hope to still get spring desert pictures sometime soon, before summer hits hard, but we shall see.

Grandma will need glasses after all. But she is content with that and only a little far correction and the close up vision will continue to improve with more time.
I said "no' to two weddings this week. I just couldn't right now. (I about crumbled anyway, just to say no is hard for me too). I am still helping some with one and am quaking but okay.

Florida sun

We went to the beach, the Yankee spring training game, the pool, bowling, and out to eat. Many much fun and a well enjoyed relaxing break! Here's just a few photos. Sorry we're not looking at the camera in the Yankees one. I still liked it. Number 4 is Lou Gehrig, in case you wanted to know, one of Ian's favorites. And the one of us on the bench I thought was cool. I posted the one of us smiling too, if you like that better:). Anyway, it was fun. Oh, and that's Ian's sister's daughter, in case you were wondering where we all of a sudden inherited a child! They were there also. Good times. Hoping to get some more sun in Phoenix soon!

I won't go into too much detail...

...but we finally discovered the hidden source for the nasty bugs that had been appearing in our kitchen! Yep, we ripped out the oven hood and found a hole and a bunch o bugs... yuck. But Ian to the rescue (that look on his face says how the evening was, pretty fun actually:) ) and we got rid of them all and sealed off the hole and anything else we could possibly imagine a bug could come through with some foaming caulk sealant stuff. Remember we used similar stuff on the bee's nest on Hopi drive, family? Well it worked great and it was a day to remember. Just thought you'd all like to share in our victory! And don't worry, we got the hood back in just fine. Hooray for no bugs!!

By popular demand

Danny Rocks the House!

This is a relatively small group. No Rae belting out the songs and Keith is at work else where.
But you get the idea.

Eating fills some mouths and lends a quieter spell -- but not really because the audio output from the game is almost the same.

And if Danny is "singing" it more than doubles!!

Did I mention thst this is my view from my office? ( aka the Rameumpton) Yes, my concentraion on Relief Society business is minimally affected.

Time out to eat.

"Mom, I'm hungry"....

Well, its either fix food or sing.

Mom and Dodger, in the eye of the hurricane.

Beware the Ides of March

"Rock Band" has taken over my family.

Once again, have you ever heard Keith sing? (his bass guitar is better).
Danny likes to really "get into" his rocking. I am sure you could gather that if you have seen his blog, (if not, go there now and see the picture "jumping for power" at the beach) It 's hard on my furniture and walls.
Rachel's hymn singing doesn't compared to her rock and roll singing. It's great. (Don't tell her.)
David is totally enthralled with the drums! (Good thing My Mom is mostly deaf.)
This is a spring break from what?
help me.

New Presidency picture.

I have just been staring at this picture for a while.

Look at President Monson as the new Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

You just can't help but feel good.

Our Stake president has sent out a letter to the Wards saying "no more meetings of any kind after 6 pm on sunday night". Even youth firesides are not to be held then. They feel strongly that it needs to be family time. I feel good about this too.

The Church is true.

Come saturday morning...

I have old friends in odd places around my house.
I have a flat of strawberries to jam.
I have Dave out if school for spring break. He has a party to go to later.
I have a new medicine, after 10 years on the old.
The relief society newsletter is almost late.
Dodger really needs a bath.
And I need a HAIRCUT!!

Please raise your Hand!

Robin where are you?

Homesick Rant.
Ted and Dustin are great, don't get me wrong, but ROBIN where are you?! I miss you and to have them here without you is just wrong somehow.
Elder Dustin Kendall was good and is legend.
I told Ted he'd get better treatment if he brings you next time, a real bedroom and Grandma Sycamore bread toast!
It is 80 degrees and blooming weather here.
This is really the best time of the year here.
The Easter Pageant at the LDS Temple grounds is happening right now too.
Okay, so next time okay.

The Living Daylights

Who invented this crazy stuff called daylight savings time?

Was it some crazy politian who bet his cronies he had so much power over his sheep that he could get them to do something really stupid not just once but twice a year?

Let's get rid of it?

Any counterpoints?

Allison, you are now 3 hours different than I am.

Remember Heavenly Father is in charge. He is not gonna let one little teacher mess up something so right. There may or may not be repercussions just do the best you can, especially if there is nothing else to be done.

Randomness for tuesday

I have no idea why my big children were standing on my living room furniture. I decided to take a picture just to elaborate on the "randomness". One is still young enough I guess to look a little sheepish at being caught, the other -well-just look at her. Not sheepish, muleish?

BEFORE

Keith is away in California again this week. Does that explain my posting lots of old pictures of him? I am even using his fancy computer down stairs.

Before the after shots.

-you have seen the after in the "Sunday Nite" post?..

Here is Keith having fun with the Marines in Times Square. They are definitely cool.

Cool like the Fonz ? uhmm?

A search of photos ensued. Here's a sampling of the results

Sunday Nite

Dad and Dave gettin' cozy for my Abinadi narrative in our nightly prayer and scripture study. (Dad's legs are sore from being forced to hike 10 miles farther than planned on a scouting activity but he doesn't know how to stretch. apparently during gym class in high school, he was too cool. sorta like how I imagine the Fonz would be in a gym class episode, if there was one.)

Speaking of cool (Dad, the Fonz) here are David and I following suit. Uh, so it actually started off with me wanting to capture on film my hair, that I curled, with a curling machine that I bought. This might be the sixth time ever, post short hair rock & roll high school. Naturally, I thought it should be memorialized. And the dirty specks all over David's mirror just up the ante.

uhmm--- Friday.

I can't even remember today. No, not mother's little helper, just no excitement what so ever.

I only walked 2 miles but it is my first day back.

It has been a little crazy getting ready for the Blood drive tomorrow.
I am the Stake volunteer coordinator, or something like that. I didn't even have a chance to say, "uhh--no!"

I laughed a long time at Rachel's post.

I think it is March now.

Oh to be broke and 25 again...

I work at a dry cleaners.

Sorta like feel good help others Anasazi stuff. Only not.

and all that JAZZ

Well, Allison dared me to put this on the blog. Since I have a general policy to never take a dare I had to wait 'till it didn't really matter any more before I could put this out there.

I had one of those Murder mystery dinner partys for my birthday. It was a redneck trailerpark version. Fun, funny.

We all ended up playing ourselves. Rae was the smart single floozy.

Dave, the carnival worker mech.

Dan the tough biker guy.

Gramma owned the trailer park and snooped(okay so maybe she didn't play herself but there were no sweet little slow worriers in the script).

Ian was the slick Tv preacher and Al was his heavily made up secretly sleazy wife(okay a stretch I know).

Keith was the wanna be country western star( have you ever heard him sing?)

And I was the slightly demented sheriff in charge trying to keep 'em all in line.

Dan gave it to me, da bum, the germ sickness that is. I have been sick in bed for 5 days! Count 'em 5. I guess that would account for the lack of "VJC" activity on the blog. So-- coughing aching, etc. has been the norm around here. It's been boring, but no energy to change that. Maybe I'll feel better soon.

"I'll think about that tomorrow, for tomorrow is another day". S.O.

Dave has another concert tonight. He is an awesome trumpet player. Jazz band is fun to hear too. Check it- back row, right side, silver trumpet!

For your viewing pleasure

A few of my favorite things: Rochelle & baby Eli. Me & Dave, together, looking cool. Baby Eli. Alli & Ian. Dan's machismo. Grandma. Guitar Hero. New York (or How Ian Looks in this Picture).