TRIP TIME

Last Saturday, Tony and I served our shift at the temple, came home, packed the car and took off for Kennewick washington. Deedra had invited us to come watch three of the kids in a musical production they had been working on for several months. 

So after our shift ended, we went to Chick Fil A, grabbed a quick bite, then home to load the car and off we went. It was a nice quick 4 hour drive and we were there by 4 in the afternoon. Steve and Gaya were already there as they went over Friday and went to the Saturday afternoon show. We planned on the Monday show which was the finale. We had a nice evening with everyone. We played games and some went swimming and then we watched

 "THE FUGITIVE". I hadn't seen it for years and honestly couldn't remember a thing. lol  (The great thing about getting old and losing your memory.) It was fun.

Steve and Gaya chose to get a motel so Tony and I slept in Garrett's room. We all went to church together Sunday and Steve and Gaya left for home right after Sacrament meeting. We stayed for Sunday school. When we got home, Curtis cooked smoked pork chops on his TRAGER and Deedra made roasted oven potatoes and a salad. It was a delicious meal.  We relaxed the rest of the day and the kids wanted to watch WONKA  later. Then we hit the sack.

Monday, Curtis went to work, Jack to high school, Garrett was studying his scriptures and learning Japanese on Duo Lingo. Then he went to do his bread run which is one of the services he does for his Service Mission.  Deedra did Charlotte's hair and off to school she went. It's right across the street and dow a little ways so she walks.

Alice leaves last, so Deedra did her hair and then we walked Alice to school. She goes further away but it was a nice walk for the four of us. Then the three of us went the long way home so we got our exercise day.  When we got back, I took a shower and Deedra did a fisherman's braid on my hair. It was so nice! Wish I had her around daily to do it! lol Tony took a shower and then we went to the store. Deedra picked up a few groceries. She also bought some Gorilla tape and glue so Tony could fix Garrett's dresser drawer. She also bought some needles that had a curved one. Then I put buttons on three pair of pants so Jack could wear button suspenders with them.  Tony also fixed a light fixture problem. We ate chicken salad sandwiches and then left for Richland, where the show was.

The program was started by the Haw's (last name)  He and his wife have 10 children and she is expecting another in 6 weeks. The kids are homeschooled and they are an incredible family. All of the kids in this CHORAL FUSION are LDS except for two. 

Alice was in the 1st group of young performers. They were so cute! There was singing and dancing and they were helped a little by the older group. 

Alice was a little shy but it was adorable.

Charlotte was in the 2nd group. The songs they performed were all number's we knew, which I loved!

Charlotte was a lot more confident and she did so well.  Once the little girls were finished performing, they came and sat with us and then the older kids took over.

Jack was in this group and he is multi talented. Singing, dancing, playing his horn, being a comedian! You name it, he did it!!

Some number's were with all boys and some with all girls and some all of them together!!

They did so many fun numbers.  From Star Wars to Singing in the Rain. Irish numbers, cartoon numbers etc.

The  2nd to the last number was a Valentine's song. The kids were so cute. As the song progressed, a young man and a young lady, date. Then another couple, proposes, it progressed  to marriage, a baby, a graduation etc and the last was Jack and a cute gal as the old married couple. They did a cute dance with the walker as they continued to sing the Valentine song.  It was awesome! The program was so good and I was so impressed with the couple who produced it. The time love that went into this was incredible. I am so impressed with the community the Butterfields have moved into! It's been so good for their family on all accounts.

After the show, we got a picture together. It was such a fun evening. So entertaining. Just a great weekend.  We came home, went to bed and got up early this morning and were on the road back to Nampa by 8 our time. Home by noon, ate lunch at ....you guessed it....

Chick Fil A. Then we came home and unloaded the car. Tony mowed the lawns while I did laundry and a few things here in the house.  We repacked, took showers and relaxed for a bit before bed. Tomorrow, we head to Burley to the temple and then on to Ashton. I'll blog that trip next week. 
GOD IS GOOD!~

LAST FOUR DAYS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE

WOW!! What a weekend and a couple of days!! Saturday after our temple shift, I baked some cookies and took them over to see Jan Poulsen. She just had hip surgery. We had a nice visit and while I was there, Brother Rice called me and asked if he could come visit me. I told him I was at Jan's and then we were going to Joy's baptism. He said he was going to the baptism as well and could he come to my house at 5:15. I said "sure" and we finished our visit with Jan and then went home. I told Tony he was probably going to ask me to speak in Sacrament meeting. However, when he got to our house, he told me they were releasing me from Relief Society and wanted to call me to serve as 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency. Of course, I accepted!! I've been serving in the RS for 6 plus years and I am looking forward to a change. After he left, Drue came over and the three of us went to the Orchard Care Center for the baptism of Joy Bridgeman. Joy is bedridden and partially blind and a large woman.  Special arrangements had to be made to perform her baptism. It took a while but it was so worth it. The Rec Center told us we could use the pool with a lift chair after the center closed down Saturday night. A few workers had to sat a little late but they didn't mind. 

Joy and her roommate, Betty Ostin, were both transported to the center by a medical transport business. We were told we had till 7:30. This is a picture: from the left,  Brother Bishop, our Ward Missionary Leader, Elder ?  Elder Fritz,  another Elder I don't know, Elder Fenton, another Elder I don't know and Brother Barker. He and his wife are assigned to the care center and meet with the LDS members who are there and have Sacrament meetings with them on Sundays. 

Joy had a canvas mat under her in her wheel chair and several of the missionaries and our Bishop Parish, (on the right) lifted her from the wheelchair to the hydraulic lift chair at the pool.

She was lowered into the pool and there was Brother Barker, Brother Bishop and four Elders were in the pool with her.

It was an incredible service. Brother Barker performed the baptism. 

After she was submersed into the pool, they brought her back to the chair and she was lifted out of the pool and placed back into her wheel chair.

It was such a tender moment watching the Elder's pat her hair dry with a towel and wrapping her in the blanket. She was taken back to the care center by the transport in her wet clothes. It was quite an ordeal dressing her and so they left the wet clothes on and after she was confirmed, the care takers, dressed her.

The joy on Joy's face was so sweet. She was so happy and thanked everyone for helping her to make this important ordinance possible. 

Brother Rice, gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and it was wonderful. He is so dynamic and such a good speaker. After he finished, we sang THE SPIRIT OF GOD" and with all the Elder's and Sister Missionaries singing, it was incredible!! It was an incredibly spiritual baptism. I am so glad we went. Sunday at Sacrament, I was officially released from being 2nd counselor in Relief Society and sustained to be the 2nd counselor in Primary. I led my last RS discussion. After our meetings, Tony and I went to the Bishop's office and I was set apart. We came home, ate lunch and relaxed for a bit.

At six o'clock, we went to the Floyd's for Corbin's birthday party. 

Corbin got several gifts from his family and the measly card and $10 dollars from us. lol 

Anna is home from Utah and it was good to see her home again. Praying things go well from here on out.

We got a family picture but I couldn't get Corbin to look at me in any of them. lol We didn't stay long after we had cake and ice-cream. Katie wanted to go driving and Chris had to go with her. Anna went a long too so we came home. 

It was Charlotte's 12th birthday as well and I stole a picture off her mom's Facebook page of her BIG DAY!  

Monday: 

We went to the gym, walked our four miles and then we drove out to Pat's. She gave me an Egg Chair for my patio. 

We got home and Tony and I put it on the back patio.

I LOVE IT!!

Monday is our yard day! Yep, it's that time of year. lol I am having cataract surgery on Thursday and Tony said I shouldn't mow the lawn. I told him I didn't want him doing it all plus his mother's so he made me wear goggles to protect my eyes,

CUTE, HUH?  LOL

I sat in it after mowing the lawn and it is pretty darn comfortable!

Thank you Pat!!

Tony and I then got our sprinkler's working. Tony had to clean out a few heads. It's nice to have the water on and my new flowers are doing well. YAY!!

Tuesday:

We picked up the Brown's this morning and went to the temple. We did 4 endowments between the Brown's and us. Then we did 35 Sealings and then 20 Initiatory. It was a good day. We took the Brown's home and then came home, changed and went to the doctor for Tony. I sat in the car and read my book but it got too darn hot so I went into the offices and read and waited for Tony. When he finished, we went to the gym and walked. I also rode the elliptical. When we finished that we went to Chick Fil A to eat. Then to COSTCO to pick up some prescriptions. When we got home, Jorgette came over and picked up the chair I got from the lady at the temple. Tony stubbed his toe on it one day and so we decided it was not a good fit for our house. I wanted it so bad it seriously was too big for our bedroom.  So Jorgette wanted it and came to get it. 

It's time for bed now and it's been a very busy past four days!

GOD IS GOOD!

FINALLY HERE!!!

Wednesday,  I had my checkup for cataracts. Tony took me to downtown Boise.  

I met with Doctor Barrett at Hollingshead eye center.  What a nice guy!!  Evidently, I have 3 cataracts in my right eye and one in the left. SO, they are going to do surgery on my right eye next Thursday.  I have to start putting 3 different drops in my eye, 3 days before surgery as well as after. Then the same thing the in May when they do the left eye. That will be on the 12th.  No makeup for me for about a month. THAT SUCKS! lol  Anyway, after we left the office it was 3:30. We were supposed to meet with the missionaries at the care center at 3:30. We called them and apologised but told them we were on our way.  We got back to Nampa as quick as we could. We met them and met with two ladies. The 1st one was a real chatter box. She did most of the talking and the Elder's had a hard time getting a word in edge wise. lol  The 2nd lady we met with was a real sweetheart. She is bed ridden and blind. She has been meeting with the missionaries for sometime and has a very strong testimony. She is getting baptized this Saturday and it is going to be quite an ordeal. She has to be dressed in the baptismal clothes at the care center and then transported to the rec center. We got special permission to use the pool and the chair lift there to baptize her. There will have to be several Elder's in the pool with her to help hold her up until she is emersed. Then she will be taken back to the care center where the workers there will get her out of the wet clothes and into dry ones so we can finish her baptism. It is going to be pretty cool. 

We finally got to leave at 6PM and we were starved so we went to CHICK FIL A to eat a salad. We were both beat so went home and got ready for bed. Thursday morning, Tony and I went to the temple alone. Lynn is in Utah and the Brown's were sick. We just did an endowment and then 5 Initiatory each.. We came home and got ready to go out with Pat.  

We have been waiting for this for a long time. We bought the tickets for the movie and Pat took us to dinner 1st. We went to 
THE RED PAVILION, a Mandarin restaurant in Meridian. It was a good meal and then we headed to the theater. 

We went the day before opening so it was not busy.

Pat insisted on buying her and me the Michael Jackson glittery cup!

I couldn't believe it. The dang cup was $17 bucks.

Jafar Jackson was INCREDIBLE!! 

It was such a great movie and this kid was 

PHENOMENAL!!

He was so much like Michael himself! 

It was his story, up to when he told his dad he was on his own.  It ended with him on a tour doing BAD. AND, WOW!! 

HE WAS INCREDIBLE!! 

Even Tony was impressed and that kinda surprised me.  He said he wanted to ask the Poulsens if they wanted to go see it again 

WITH US!! HECK YEAH, I'D GO AGAIN!!

We had such a great time. I thought about Maddox and how much he'd enjoy this movie.  What a great day!!

MONDAY PLANTING, TUESDAY MEETINGS & DR. VISITS

Monday, we met at the gym with Pat. We had a fun walk and ended up with Rena and Carol as well. It gets a little tough walking with four of us so Pat will usually walk with Carol and me with Rena so we are not taking up the entire space. lol I tried to mix it up and I walked with Carol and Rena and Pat. We only had a couple of more laps so it wasn't bad. lol On the way home, I had Tony stop at the Davis Sister's home so I could drop off their Ministering assignments. I also stopped at Kay Browning's home and she had this cute sign. I took a picture. Maybe I can make one for my house sometime. My NO SOLICITING sign doesn't work. lol

I thought this one was cute. Kay and I had a long visit on her porch. She is such a sweet sister. I really like her.  We then came home, ate a quick breakfast, changed our clothes and then started our yard day. We loaded up some pipes and other metals into the trailer while it was still hooked up to the truck. We took it to the recycle

It even looks like there is water in the glass vase. So cool!

You know me and flowers!!

LOVE THEM!!

After getting the sprinkler parts at LOWES and the things at COSTCO (we also ate lunch at Costco)  we came home. I planted the Gerber Daisy's and Tony got our irrigation water turned on.

He wasn't going to plant the bush till tomorrow but since I got all the daisys in, he asked if I would help with the bush.  He dug out the hole and I mixed potting soil with the ground dirt in a bucket. We situated the plant in the hole and then he poured the dirt around and I spread it. It is supposed to get 3 feet by 3 feet at the biggest so it should be fine. I put a couple of Daisys in the pot up front too. Glad to have it done.

TUESDAY:

We went to the gym early this morning. It was Silver Sister's at 11 am, and Pat was going to go with me again. We wanted to get home, clean up and take off. Pat got to my house at 10:10. She really enjoys these luncheons. I'm so glad!

13th  Ward was in charge this time and they have this sister in their ward. Her name is Christy something and she sings. 

Let me tell ya, she was so entertaining!! We were expecting opera or something serious BUT she ROCKED!!  She started off with Brooks & Dunn! Boot Scoot Boogie. She sang Karen Carpenter, John Denver, Johnny Cash, Rose Royce and more. It was so fun! She'd tell stories and dance and Pat absolutely loved it!!  She will go with me again and again. Makes me happy!!

They served a Costa Vida lunch. Nice soft tortillas, and all the toppings. Then cakes of different kinds.  There were only 3 of us this time from our ward plus Pat. 2 sister's from 12th ward sat with us and one was named Shirley! lol I joked with her cuz I'm Laverne . I told her we needed to get a picture together.

Here we are :Laverne & Shirley lol

I took Joyce Glaetlie and Luva Frances home and then Pat and I came back to my house, Tony had finished putting in the drip lines etc to the pots out in the garden and to the raised garden bed. He took a picture of Pat and I in the yard. She is such a special friend.

We're "BESTIES"  

I got on AI and made this for her. lol  She got a kick out of it.

TUESDAY NIGHT:

I went to Relief Society at 7 and Jessica Skollingsberg taught a class on finances. It was interesting, but we have a financial advisor so I didn't really need the class but a lot of others did. It was interesting none the less. Finally home after a LONG DAY and off to bed.