Priorities

Three AM and driving home from the emergency room. It was a Saturday EARLY morning and I had been out all night helping a member of our church. Her husband had fallen in the parking lot after the football game and so I volunteered to drive her to the hospital and sit with her. Thinking it surely couldn't take too many hours. It was nine thirty when we got to the hospital. He was in immense pain, tied down to the board that they strap you to. We talked and got to know each other better during the long night. I had a ten dollar bill in my pocket and decided to buy a bottle of water for $1.25. I put the bill in the change machine and it gave me the correct amount of change - $10 in quarters!! I only had my pants pockets - no purse. So I walked around jingling the rest of the evening. At 2:30 they had finally decided they were taking him to a hospital in the valley and so we decided to head home as soon as he left.

Six-forty AM - brie brought maddie over as she had to work. I tried really hard to open my eyes as we started the DVD of Finding Nemo for her. By seven thirty it was obvious that any thought of sleep was far gone. So I got up and tried to get something accomplished. Eleven AM and finally we could take a brief nap.

One-thirty PM - time to get ready to go to the temple - we were going with the rest of the bishopric for the 4 PM session. The nap we had at least was a reprieve for awhile, and so I was awake during the session and the meal afterwards. By the time we got home though I was ready to sleep.

Priorities- what comes first? I managed to fit it all in, and I really didn't think that was possible at the time. I guess when we have the right intent we can accomplish miracles.

Just some pics

A birthday phone call















A ruined visit to the Besh Ba Gowah ruins. Can't complain about the rain in Arizona though.















Keeping cool in the desert.















Pioneer children sang as they walked.....















Feeding grandpa's fish

HD

We have been looking at TV's for the past few months. Our current TV has been trying to die, making weird noises and you can only turn it off and on with the remote as the on/off switch broke sometime also. Flat screen, LCD, High Def, etc. All pricier than were willing to pay. Last week we spent a few hours in town and stopped to pick up Season 10 of StarGate SG1 that had just been released. (yes, this is what we do for fun) We walked through the TV section and again looked at all the offerings. Abe decided that we didn't want anything smaller than a 32" TV. We noticed one in a box with $100 off tag on it. We looked at the model on the wall, it of course wasn't marked down. We asked one of the salesman if this were the same model. It was, so we asked if they had to charge the reduced price. Yep. So we went ahead and took the plunge.

We got home just before a huge dust storm that was blowing through the valley. We carried our 400 lb old monster TV out of our room and uncrated our new 32" wide screen HD LCD TV. Plugged it in and attached our lovely antenna - no we do not have cable. We let the TV program itself and it found stations we didn't even know existed. We get all of the stations from Tucson and Phoenix. There are four PBS stations, all different all the time. Everything is clearer than it has been for years.

Is this a good thing? I don't know, but last weekend we could finally let Rhayn watch Shrek 3-D with the 3-D glasses. Best of all abe can actually work the remote!!!

August desert pics

We have finally had a monsoon season. Here are some pictures of the area outside of San Manuel, toward Peppersauce. These pics are for LVH, except for the one Ocotillo - that's for leaner.

Flew the coop

Our third pair of mourning doves this summer hatched just fine. Their parents had determined that our plant wasn't good enough for them, so they tried a different place. A few days ago I was outside putting some plants on stands that we had purchased (clearance at Loews). I went in the house to do something and Blue walked over to me. I looked down and saw that he had brought me a baby bird. It was still alive, he had carried it very gently in his mouth. I couldn't put it back in the nest so just put it in the plant which is about fifteen feet from where it's mother sat with the other baby bird. JVA came over later and he tried to put it back in the actual nest. But the nest wasn't made very well and the two babies wouldn't fit. So JVA put both of the birds in the plant and we hoped for the best. The next morning I looked out and there was the mother bird with the two babies. They both flew away today. Our retriever had saved their lives. I tried to get a picture of the last baby as it sat on the fan blade, but it flew away.

Do Bears?

Camping has been something we have done for years. Not the trailer with all the amenities in a campsite with electricity, water, etc. The tent, air mattress, sleeping bag type of camping. When our kids were little we always took them with us and everything was well. Since becoming grandparents we have been anxiously waiting for the grandkids to be old enough to take on a trip sans parents. Before we went to SD for vacation we took a few days and went camping with the Raginin'Az group. We also took Beth and Gav with us. We drove twenty plus miles down a dirt road, away from the crowds and traffic. Away from people. We set up our tents and campsite. The weather was perfect.

By day two things were great, except for an accident by one of the younger campers. This camper tried to "go" in the forest, but didn't really know what to do. Now one thing is one, but two is a totally different thing. We turned this situation into military hands and after some amazing and detailed instruction everything was resolved. Except one of the other young campers mentioned that they were going to wait until we got home to perform this bodily function.

2nd Lt took control of the situation and before long we had a training session on "pooping in the forest". The training including the proper method of squatting and what options you have to use to prop yourself up. Taking the shovel, TP, and some wipes into the forest, the training also included a simulation and where to dig and how to lean. Upon the return to camp it is necessary to wash your hands with water - in case there may be some solid matter remaining from your trip. A quick wipe of the hands with a baby wipe and then some anti-bacterial lotion and you are back to play.

The things we take for granted!!!

Your Personality is Somewhat Rare (ISTP)

Your personality type is reserved, methodical, spirited, and intense. Only about 6% of all people have your personality, including 3% of all women and 8% of all men You are Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Redemption

So as we were checking out geocaching in South Dakota we noticed that we had inadvertently forgotten to log one that we had found two years ago. Usually I wouldn't remember every cache, but this one was quite a pain to find. A mosquito infested swamp, teaming with ticks, only a tenth of a mile from the car. We did find it and we had to pick each other for ticks afterwards - kind of like a new song they are playing on the country stations. Anyway, I decided to log it almost two years after the fact. When I asked abe if he remembered our experience he actually remembered this one. But then he said that I couldn't be mad at him anymore for losing our ice cream cone antenna ball. After all, we didn't get that at our 600th find. it was really our 601st find. Takes all the fun out of him losing it after all.

Third times a charm

So I haven't taken time to write for a few days. I am sure that I have been extremely busy. Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that our new "bird dog" Blue hasn't scared off our newest entry into the maternity ward plant. Here we go waiting for this newest dove to hatch her eggs. abe went to water the plant and he noticed the mom sitting patiently on her nest. I would think it would be way to hot under our porch to birth anything. Hopefully Rhayn will be able to come see this one before it hatches!

Rate this

Last night we were standing outside after helping our friends, the Carps, wrap meat (they do that for a living) anyway, I said I was tired and abe said,
"Yeah, you've been short on your beauty sleep and it is starting to show."

So we are discussing the rudeness level of this. Please let us know how many rudeness stars (1-5) you would give this. Secondly, abe wants you to rate the humor level (1-10) Bro Carp thought that it was the funniest thing he had heard all week.

one fish, two fish, red fish....

When we had R visit us for a few days last week we had lots of fun. One day she stayed with aunt maymay's, she spent a night at G'Gmas house. She also spent a day at G'rats.

She is such a big girl now that we had to put up an air bed for her to have her own room and not sleep with us. We really enjoyed her visit.

One of the nights abe took R and G fishing. They caught lots of fish! JVA almost ate a fish! They had fun.

Redrockmoores

Just got an email from the mother of one who is part of our blogging world. Amiedanny were on their way to UT and were in a fairly serious car wreck.

Here is part of the email......."All had seatbelts...thankfully...Cam may have internal injuries and is being air-evacced out. Ethan needs stitches. Rest have seatbelt bruising so far. Van is totaled."

Please remember them in your prayers.

A rose by any other name.....

Hairball - we discussed Jethro for quite awhile prior to your post, and while he is kind of Clampetty he isn't a hound. So it just didn't fit.

We spent almost all day Sunday thinking that the perfect name for this horse of a dog would be Trigger. But it didn't work, calling him Trig made us think too much of math.

As we went for a walk Sunday evening, and we took him for his first stroll around the track it suddenly hit. We've done this all before. It was all kind of Deja vu. There we go, a perfect name..

So, introducing

Deja Blue

AKA Blue, Ballew (he is kind of Jungle Booky), Blue Boy, Big Blue, etc.

Back to three

So even though abe has been fighting this, we finally got a dog. Last winter our neighbor told us about some people who had Weimaraner puppies for a sale and she knew we wanted a dog at some point. We told her that we needed to wait until we didn't have any kids here. So we didn't think any more about it.

A week or so ago, she caught me in the street and told me that they still had one puppy. Five months old and they were willing to give it away. The mother had a huge litter and living in Florence it was difficult to get people to drive all the way out to buy the puppies. The down side to all of this was that this puppy was a male. After reading about the breed and finding out that they tend to be a little rambunctious, we weren't sure if we really wanted to do this. The neighbor had done a little more research on this puppy and found out that he is very calm. She told us she would bring him over so we could look at him and decide.

It took us several days to arrange this meeting. Finally on Thursday we finally connected and so our new family member met us for the first time. We were envisioning a puppy, what showed up at our door was a huge puppy, every bit as big as Cur when she died. That may be the worst part, he looks a lot like her.

Now we have to come up with the perfect name for this new addition to the family. We joked about Cur-sir, Recur, Concur, etc . But no derivative of Cur would be a good idea. So any great ideas???

It was on sale

We have been planning on buying a patio set for a long time. Today abe had a Dr. appt so we had a little time to shop. He was even willing to go into more than one store, that in itself was amazing.

Our last stop of the day was Home Depot, we stopped there to get some stuff for the wood floor and they had this set $50 off. We sat in the two swivel rockers and then in the regular chairs. Since it is what we were looking for we decided to go ahead and buy it. The best part was that when we went to check out it came up for $100 less than the regular price. Guess we'll have to have a BBQ and break it in.

Time passages

Well, I'm not the kind to live in the past
The years run too short and the days too fast
The things you lean on are things that don't last
Well it's just now and then my line gets cast into these
Time passages
There's something back there that you left behind
Time passages
Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight

Okay, so a song from 1978, but knowing I haven't sat down to blog for awhile, it seemed like the perfect title and thoughts.

Empty nest.

We've finally (for a few months) achieved that plateau. How do we feel about that? Everyone told us we would be lonely. Everyone keeps telling us that we will get bored. Advice from left and right.

No one told us that we might go through a little depression when we realized that our kids are actually all out on their own, you can't get that time back with them. It makes you feel OLD, which again is quite depressing.

No one told us that we would miss the goodnight hugs and kisses from Katie, and Gavin, and Beth. We have missed so much of their lives anyway it was good spending time with them. Each of them have their own special qualities and the intense day to day was good for awhile to make up for lost time.

We aren't lonely or bored, we actually like each other. Imagine that after all these years, we still have conversations and common interests. Yesterday I did lock abe out of the house. Thought he had a key, which he does, but he didn't have it with him.

And our empty nests in the back yard.....
one is full of the second set of mourning doves for the season. So we are watching this new mom and dad deal with their offspring. They will probably be gone before long.

Oh, and by the way, our dishwasher broke the day after everyone was gone. So we've been washing dishes by hand, not a big deal for the two of us. Probably makes more sense anyway. So all in all - life is grand!

No more news for me

This has not been a good day. Too many reports and other things due by April 15th. I put together a sample calendar for the district and it ended up on the board agenda for tonight, let me just say that I had to revise it four times today, even though I had a few other things to do.

As I was driving back to work after eating lunch the radio informed me that troops that are deployed are going to get the privilege of spending an additional three months in Iraq or Afghanistan.

I have been a good mom, I have been patient and faithful. But I know that our bear is ready to come home. His calls have had a little more homesick ring to them than ever before. He mentioned a couple of months ago that there was a pretty good chance he would be extended. Then the last time he called he was pretty sure he wouldn't be. This hit me like a ton of bricks. My eyes welled up with tears and even as I type this my eyes are spilling over. Maybe it is just PMS, but if I let myself go, I know I could have a good long cry. Next month his four years are officially over. He has spent 20 of those months in Iraq. I shouldn't complain, there are so many families affected by this. Young fathers and mothers who are away from their children.

I am sure that when he calls he will be upbeat and accepting, he always is. I just need to complain a little, to vent, because we miss him in our lives. He has spent over six years away from us already and we are ready for him to live close to us so we can get to know this wonderful man who has had so many interesting experiences.

So for now, we will continue to pray for his safe return and put on a brave front.

The picture was taken the first time he was in Iraq - he insisted that we all take turns putting a few shells through his new gun. Note that leaner is holding the gun - something she has never liked to do.

Birds and buds

Here are our babies - dacheese took this pic. They posed nicely for this.

The other picture is Rhayn's rose. It is getting ready to bloom and it will be beautiful just like her. It has three more buds on a lower branch and they should all bloom together.

Arizona Potted Birds

For some reason this year two different species of birds have decided that our back porch and our potted plants are the ideal nesting sites.

The nest closest to the house is a mourning dove. We think she has two eggs - they have hatched and we can now see a tiny bird next to her. Both parents take turns with the babies and the nest is never left alone. The plant that they selected is a philodendron that barely survived the winter freeze. It looks pretty rough at this time, but we don't dare do too much with it.

The other nest, in our asparagus fern, is four cute little guys. After trying to determine what type of bird this one was dacheese finally was able to figure out that it is a house finch. The dad is brightly colored, with a red head and red down his back. The mom and dad don't spend as much time with their babies as the mourning dove and we are hoping that we don't scare them off.

The hardest part is keeping the plants alive and not disturb the maternity ward or hurt the babies.

You never know what may happen in Abe's garden, or what you might see.

Birthday Bonanza week continues

On Thursday, we picked up mom and took her to LB Inn in Florence for a birthday dinner. She had lunch with Laree and Shari. When we picked her up she noticed a box on her porch filled with fresh flowers from her favorite daughter.

Mom, G'rat's family, JVA and SLA, Brie and Maddie and abeNanna enjoyed chips and salsa and some other food in celebration of her 86 birthday and Maddie's 18 month birthday.

That evening we received a phone call from our bear, thanking us for the easter stuff - a camo basket and camo eggs. We reminded him what day it was, so when he hung up he called his grandma. Leaner called her also and had Rhaynn sing her a Happy Birthday.