Photo Fun!

Lotsa pictures to share of a random nature. We've been having so much fun lately, I haven't kept up with my friends in blog-land!

Thanksgiving Wishes!

Thanksgiving is always a time to review our blessings, and express our gratitude for all that we've been given. But not only am I grateful for what I've been blessed with, I'm grateful for what I've been able to offer, however big or small. A statement made in a conference talk really made me think: When we stand before the Lord to account for ourselves, we may be asked who we served, not how many callings we held. Something to ponder!

I look forward to this time of year, not just because of the really good food that we get to stuff ourselves with, but being able to associate with family. With so many of us, it's always a giant affair, but it's always fun and well worth it!

I would wish for everyone to have a grand day, full of wonderful food and family, and a feeling of love to the Lord for it all!

Flamingo Pair

While at the zoo a while back, these two flamingo's were sunning themselves. The rest of the flock were drinking from the pond nearby.

Oh, Those Mormon Messages!

Each Sunday, we plug in the computer to the TV and watch Mormon Messages, along with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing hymns on YouTube. Our favorites, or rather, my favorites are, "If You Could Hie to Kolob," by Lex de Azevedo (the 7 minute one), and "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

Today was no different (except that we watched on our computer instead of the TV) and to our surprise, we found new videos to cry to! (every time we watch these, some of us cry) The ones we watched were from The Divine Creator. Excellent, excellent, excellent! Then there are those that we've seen before and still tears flood our eyes, and we choke up. What a great spirit it brings into our home. It's like being surrounded with angels! I don't think you can watch these videos and not feel the spirit at some point, and walk away feeling uplifted.

You know, I've heard it said that if you hear the same messages over and over, you get bored of it and don't  pay attention anymore. BUT, I think if you hear a message repeatedly, it still soaks in and you gain from it. So watching these videos again and again really does do something in building us up and strengthening our whole family! 

Those Mormon Messages.....keep 'em comin'!

Whoosh, Popping Eggs, and Sore Fingers!

This past week has been quite an adventure! A few days in particular were quite memorable:

***Just as the last clothes pin clipped a towel on the clothesline, I heard WHOOSH! Startled, I turned around just in time to see a mini wall of water rushing towards me as the little quick-set pool we got for the grandkids overflowed! I forgot to check the water level after an hour of filling up the pool! It'd probably be a good thing if we had grass in our backyard, but we have desert landscape, and therefore, dirt turned into mud. I learned that sweeping watery mud works quite well.

***After taking out the garbage and checking on a few things outside, I came in to hear popping in the kitchen. OH, MY! The boiled eggs I was making to add to a potato salad turned into burned, scorched, popping eggs! I had checked the water in the pan just a few minutes earlier and I knew about how much time I had before taking the pan off the stove. But this time, I cut it a little too close and ended up taking the black-spotted eggs outside to cool down (if that's possible with the outside temperature being 108 degrees!).

***While sweeping between the washer and dryer, I found a ball of lint that wouldn't come out from around the little front foot of the washer. In attempt to lift that front edge with my left hand, and sweep the lint with my right hand, I realized that only my fingertips would reach under the edge to lift it up. TOO MUCH WEIGHT! Just after the broom cleared the front, lint collected, BOOM! The washer dropped to the floor (a whole two inches) and my two middle fingers instantly started hurting. The pain shot up the inside of my wrist and up to my elbow. I don't think that ball of lint was worth it!

Little (and big) mishaps make life interesting and memorable! (but I don't think I want a repeat of these things!)

If It Weren't For Air Conditioning, I'd be Outta Here!

Okay, I've had it with the humidity!

But don't get me wrong: I love the desert. I love the heat. I love the dry heat. I love the sun and the light, everyday. For me, the daily sunlight is like breathing, I need it.

One thing I don't like is the humidity (even thought my previous post was praising humidity). I think I can handle maybe a few weeks of it, but after a while, I've had it. My few weeks are up! In looking at the whole picture, I suppose I can live with it since its humid for only a month or so during the summer. But if I were one of those first settlers in the Phoenix valley and lived through this hot, humid desert back then with no air conditioning, I'd have left for another part of the state or country, pronto!

I suppose other parts of the country deal with some humidity, but I find myself confined to the house enjoying the nice cool indoors sending the kids to the store instead of going myself, or running from my air conditioned car into the store and enjoying the cool air while shopping (dreading the walk back to the car).

What a great invention, air conditioning. And what a great blessing it is to have it! It'll seem totally worth it, till we get the electric bill. Then we'll be eating dirt for every meal! (just kidding!)

The Positive Side of A Hundred Seven Degrees

The southwest desert in the summertime: triple digit temperatures, sidewalk egg-frying competitions, sunburns galore, swimming, (among other things).....
In my limited travels across the United States, I've learned enough about the weather in those areas to know where I like it best. Arizona.

But the hardest part of the summertime here (for me) is when the humidity reaches bath towel stage; otherwise known as the monsoon season. Reminds me of Alabama. Wake up fresh in the morning, showered, hair set, and dry. Then you step outside your front door, unlock the car and get in, and, surprise, you need another shower!

However, there is a positive side to the heat (unbelievably): the humidity is actually good for your skin and lungs. As uncomfortable as it is to be out in (once you've been used to the dry heat), its nice to breathe in moist air. Both in the heat and in the cool, higher humidity means adding lacking moisture to our bodies. That's why it's so important to take water bottles with you everywhere you go. Dehydration is pretty common, but can be avoided by drinking not just juices, but plain ol' water.

And the moisture really treats skin kindly. The big thing in any part of the country is a summertime tan. But as dry and leathery as skin can become, it's really refreshing to be in a high humidity area. You can feel the moisture soak into your skin. It's great! The combination of high (and I mean really high) heat and humidity is what sometimes throws me off when I walk outside and start dripping after three minutes! I have to remind myself that it's good.....really good!

So, there is a good side to high temperatures in the summertime: the humidity rolls in.

Of Dads and Men

Father's Day is a wonderful day to give our men the much deserved attention that seems to be missing in today's world. Here's a small part of my perspective:

I love it when General Conference rolls around and all of the boys go to the Priesthood session with their dad. I love it when the Elders Quorum has a Priesthood fireside, or the High Priests have an evening together in like manner. The Fathers and Sons outing in May is another great time for the boys to associate with their dads, and later, the fathers can shoot the breeze around a campfire. I love it when the men get together for any occasion.

Their building each other up and supporting each other brings strength home to us. Too many times, wards will have a subtle matriarchial base as the patriarchs stand by (because they're so nice!). But since the priesthood leads, we should acknowledge, and follow; not blindly, but supportively. Our priesthood brothers should associate together and build those bonds with each other that will carry on for eternity. "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

A tradition with me: when my husband comes home from church, we discuss the priesthood lessons. (Back when the Priesthood and Relief Society books were different, around the 70's, I used to read the priesthood lessons because they contained more to-the-point subjects, were more direct, and had more quotes from the prophets and apostles)  I love to hear the raw doctrines that are hashed over, the truths that are derived directly from the scriptures, the comments, and the tangents. I think our Relief Society lessons are sometimes too soft, mellow, "fluffy." They're nice and always presented properly; but nothing beats pulling out the scriptures and discussing meanings. (I like to get to the heart of the matter)

Dad is the head of the household. He leads, decides, blesses, saves, and makes allowances. When there's a crisis, its Dad who's called. When there's a medical emergency, it's Dad who's contacted. When someone's faced with a decision, it's Dad who's consulted. He's usually the first to be asked when someone needs a blessing. If there's a question about finances, he's in the mix of resources. When there's a chance to go camping, hiking, or fishing, he's one of the first to be notified. And I love it when the kids need to admit a wrong, and they go to him. It's hard, but they do it. And although he may have some weaknesses (and who doesn't), he still is the head of our home (a job I don't care to have) and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Husband Thoughts

Husbands are a great invention! And I think I have the best husband in the world.

Not just because he’s my best friend, not because he takes me out to dinner (and even cooks dinner!), not because he takes me to places I want to go, not because he makes the decisions I’m supposed to make but I don’t want to make, and not because he works at a job that has the benefits and flexibility that allow him to be home as often as he can.

I think I have the best husband in the world because he still puts up with my indecisive-ness and wackiness after 30+ years. He tells it like it is when it needs to be told like it is. He has such a funny sense of humor, and makes me laugh everyday. He has such a broad base of knowledge, I'm still amazed after all these years, at how much he knows how to do. I've never met anyone who can, out of the blue on the first try, know how to build a patio, know where the fish are at the lake, knows how to fix a leak in a pipe buried in a wall, and can sense when a child (even a grown up one) needs something.

The longer I'm married to him, the more I'm amazed. You'd think that after the first ten years, you'd know all there is to know about a person. But that's just the beginning! I knew right off that he was led by the Spirit, but he's never let up with following the Lord's direction, even when it meant sticking his neck out to be chopped off!

He's the greatest! He still opens the door for me, still offers to get me anything, still listens to me ramble on about stupid stuff, still stares at me, and still provides a beautiful home for me.

And I love him to pieces!

Our Unexpected Snowtrip

We really weren't planning on camping in the snow, but after arriving at our chosen spot late in the afternoon, the light drizzle of rain/snow never let up, and we woke up the next morning to at least 6 inches of snow on the ground.

When we got there, we figured at some point it'd all stop. But no! We hurried to set up tents between gusts of wind and dusting of snow, but never got the truck completely unloaded, so half of our gear was covered with snow, too.

We were freezing and everything was wet, including the insides of the tents. When we would tap the inside roof to knock off the snow, we'd get a shower!

It was quite pretty, though. 

It's not just snow on the tops of the canoes, it's ice! We found out that the temperature than night was 31 degrees! Brrrr!

Soon after this picture was taken, we all packed up and moved to a lower elevation and continued our camping adventure in a dryer spot.

Even though we didn't choose to camp in the snow, I'm glad we did. It's one of those experiences you can say, 'been there, done that!' 

Excuse Me, Could You Pull Over And Let Me Pass?

On the road, and behind the wheel! I get into the car, slam it into drive, and speed away leaving skid marks behind me and screeching sounds loud enough to stir the neighborhood!

Just kidding! That was probably me as a teenager, but not now. Close, but not quite. Enough tickets and warnings curbed my tendency for wreckless driving. The speed part, though, hasn't quite left my blood. I like to get where I'm going, and do it quickly. I think that if you have a privilege drivers license, and you're going to drive your car, drive your car!

THIS is where my impatience shines through! (can you tell?) I realize that when you get a ticket for speeding, you tend to watch more carefully how fast you're driving, whether pulling out of the driveway, or tootling along on the highway. But I think that when you get into your car, you should drive, concentrate on where you're going, and be quick about it. If you're not sure about your direction or if you're enjoying the scenery, pull out of the way and let the long line of other drivers pass.

I've had my share of insane race car drivers try to run me over, and although my temper is slow in heating up, there have been times when I've let loose and pushed triple digits just to show up that other guy!

This is probably NOT the kind of behavior expected of me, and I will admit that I may not be (at times) the same person behind the wheel that I am everywhere else, but I do expect a certain behavior of other drivers on the road. Drive your car, and at least go the speed limit! If you see through your rearview mirror that traffic is building up behind you, pull over or speed up. Don't put on makeup, fix things in the back seat, put your shoes on, or talk and laugh with your passengers to the point of losing your concentration. Cell phone conversations have an automatic, involuntary connection to slower speeds on the road - get off the phone, or be conscious of your speed and drive normal. Or, better yet, use cruise control.

So, an apology in advance: if I tailgate you, pass you quickly, or you see me throw up my hands in frustration because you're not moving fast enough, I'm sorry. It's my natural impatience on the road that I'm trying to curb. But remember, if you're going to drive your car, drive your car! (apologies!)

Schooling at Home vs Homeschooling

The term "homeschooling" has taken on different meanings, of late. Up until about ten or fifteen years ago, homeschooling was defined as a parent teaching a child/ren at home using their own resources, creating a well-rounded curriculum of their own choosing, of core subjects including PE, art, and music. It was the parent's responsibility to search out and find the type of materials needed and wanted to teach at home. The parents were to provide everything a child needed to succeed in his/her educational goals or direction, including textbooks, workbooks, projects, supplies for experiments, etc. This required funds from the family budget, either great or small, and time constraints became a thing of the past; meaning there was no "teaching to pass an April standardized test." This opened up endless possibilities and opportunities for the "teacher" to spend as much or little time on a given concept or subject as deemed appropriate --- at least, in Arizona where homeschooled children were and are exempt from standardized testing - probably due to the high level of education parents were providing themselves. The state does not provide any supplemental funding to homeschooling families.

Now, the term "homeschooling" encompasses any type of schooling at home, beit original homeschooling, as described above, part-time schooling where students spend part time learning at home and part time learning at a physical building, online schooling where all of the curriculum is provided (and sometimes computers, too), and "group" homeschooling where parents pool their strong subject abilities, and take turns teaching a "class" made up of their own children. Schools that are state funded require their students to take the standardized tests, both in elementary school and high school.

In the past, we've homeschooled up to seven children at a time at home. But since living out here on the edges of civilization for the past 6+ years, our kids have been in public schools. Many times I've been tempted to bring them home (and probably should have) and resume our homeschool routine because I was really unhappy with the school. But after hearing about the alternative of online high school a few years ago, a few of our kids came home and worked on the computer. For us, it's worked out great.

BUT, I still have great memories of actually homeschooling the kids:

• using books I bought at a discount store,
• creating my own master copies of the human skeleton,
• buying a slab of clay to use for writing cunieform as part of a history lesson,
• saying the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, along with prayer,
• playing a game on a redesigned gameboard to teach letters and sounds to a preschooler,
• and being done with school just after lunch.

I loved it and I miss it. And I still have nearly everything I used back then. I give lots of credit and praise to families who DO actually homeschool because I know how hard it can be and how rewarding it is. But at my age, now, I think educating the kids on the computer is just as thorough.
Okay, here's my rant:
Homeschooling is teaching children at home using your own materials that you purchased, after having registered yourself with the state as being a homeschooling family.
Homeschool is NOT taking classes on the computer, or attending state funded classes either online OR in a building.
Therefore, for us, we are NOT homeschooling ---- we are online schooling.
And there you have it!

In Full Bloom!

Our Palo Verde tree in the backyard is in full bloom! Over the past 4 days it's become "heavy laden" with blossoms, and the bee's love it! There's a dull humming near the tree which can be a bit unnerving, but it's a sure sign of spring in the desert!

The yellow of the blossoms is quite bright, too! Almost neon!

I love this picture of a bee!

I think the whole hive is visiting our tree.

The funny thing is, that in another week, all of these blossoms will drop to the ground and the tree will be all green again!

Guess Where We Went Over The Weekend?

Luke Air Force Base Air Show!

Every other year, this event is a must-go-to. All other plans get scrapped to walk what seems like 10 miles around these new and old airplanes, helicopters, and jets, with some of the pilots standing near them to answer questions.

But it's really interesting to see these planes up close.

My personal favorite!

It's a bullet holder on the side of the plane with people walking behind it!

Aren't they cute planes?

The Thunderbirds flew in their formation all over the sky....it was great as an ending to the air show.

The Big Fish!

On the latest fishing trip, this one was caught. Pretty good! It seems all of the fish that the boys caught were pretty good sized ones.

I love fishing, but this trip I enjoyed relaxing in the desert rather than float around the lake.

It's so nice not to have phones ringing, and no traffic noises. The temperatures were quite nice: not too cold, and not too hot. Having said that, I did get cold one night, even though my sleeping bag is rated down to 15 degrees.

The most memorable part is this trip was that around 3am one morning, some wandering donkeys announced their presence near our tents. And  boy did they "hee-haw," long and loud! Hard to go back to sleep after such a noise!