The Sister Missionaries

The Sisters came over to show us how cook fish.

A few weeks ago when the sisters arrived on a night I found myself short of time, I'd ask them as they walked in the door who knew how to cook fish.  (The frozen package indicated you could cook it up in minutes).   It was great!  Those three sisters had the fish on the table in minutes and it tasted great!  So this night I asked them to come back when I could watch what they were doing.  Only two of them showed up because the other sister got transfered to the Concord First Ward.  Luckily for me the fish cooking sister is still in our ward!  The meal was great and the fish was cooked two ways.

Sister Brati and Sister B  marinating fish and cooking broccoli alfredo

I love Sister B's smile and her willingness to work hard.  She is from Denmark and really knows how to b e a good missionary.  She gives us challenges and encouragemnet every time we see her. 

To have wonderful fish, you really need someone who has spent a life cooking and eating it.

Sister Brati comes from south of Fiji and knows her stuff.  She an whip up fish in minutes that tastes sooo good!

What a great guy!

Jeffrey knows I love lights and he took the time to put them up early this year.  I really appreciate all my family and their thoughtfullness and care.

It's here!

I was afraid the leaves would all fall of the trees in drab brown or withered, faded green.  But no!  Fall in all it's colorful, glorious, majesty has come to Concord to give us all delight in the season!

I'm not sure why it was so late, just thankful it came!

Food for the soul.

"The best room in the house..."

Anthony Durst did an outstandingly wonderful job on our bathroom renovations! We could not be happier and of course everyone wants to use it.

Here is when the bathroom was just about done.  The shower is deeper and and has this great bench and a deep soap dish.  You can't see but the shower actually showers on your head instead of splashing into your face - even Michael over 6 foot is covered.

Comparing this photo when Anthony and his friend were ripping out the walls and floors - you can see the 4 inch wall that covered a vent from the water heater (right hand side at the back), Anthony was able to vent it out the side of the house.  So this freed up space.  The whole bathroom feels much bigger - we can fit two people comfortably in it at the same time. (If we wanted....) That wasn't really possible before. 

You can't see the most important work that was done.  I'd ask Anthony to take care of some problems and he tore out all the walls and floors and addressed the drainage problems and found out about some electrical ones and re-plumbed the pipes and wired the whole thing along with the water heater in the garage and brought it up to code too.   He also moved the toliet over a few inches.  Now everything inside and outside the walls are neat, tidy and functional.

Isn't this lovely?  I love the colors (helps that I picked them out!) and the high lines -- it feels good!

 This feels so good to have such a nice room in our house.

 So now I just need to move into Rachel's room.........and then onto...........the next bedroom.....and you know there are two bathrooms downstairs.........and the kitchen.........

The Tale of Two Cats

Going to the vet is always.....fun.
Tuesday was really.....fun.

Just look how calm Sarabi ususally is...too bad she's so canny....

When the cats came in for chow on Monday night, we pretended we didn't know why they were meowing and ignored their requests to go back outside. Hey it was Halloween and who knows what could have happened.  Jeffrey got up early to work on his computer and got to listen to them for a few hours around 3 am.

Odysseus - pretty bold when he knows Sheila is tethered.

 In the morning I picked up Odysseus, covered his eyes and put him in a cardboard carrier quickly shutting it up.  It was an old carrier and had been left out in the garage so it was a little weathered.  Sarabi had been at the front door but peeking around the corner she knew what was up and took off for parts unknown in the back of the house.  I asked Rachel and Michael to help me corner her in whichever room we could find her.  Rachel found her and we all ran into that room and shut the door. Trapping her in a corner I scooped her up and came back into the kitchen to find Odysseus had busted his head through the soft  box, so I pushed his head down back into the box while juggling a scrambling Sarabi.  Quickly hiding her eyes and putting her in the other cardboard box and then  pushing the other cats head down so he wouldn't rip out.  Rachel tryed to put strapping tape over the hole but now he was on a roll and ripped that box up and slipped through another slit he tore in the box to go running back through the house.  Luckily most of the doors were shut.  I picked him up by the scruff and closepinned him in a towel with just his head showing.  Then Michael drove to school and when he got out, I slipped over to the drivers seat and set Odysseus on the seat.  Of course he slipped out of the towel and explored the car.  He was calm when he could see where we were going.    In fact both cats were well behaved and nothing untoward happened at the vet's office.  Still....
I like to have .... fun only once a year.

3rd Annual Witches luncheon - 1st I've ever been to

These mice were up and down the stairs, over pictures, and down the hall.  They are kind of cute, but out of the corner of your eye they are very creepy.

This is the hostess Susan Eames - organizer and queen of the good time!

This is Marie Lore my sister-in-law as the kitchen witch

My niece Krista Hanks, "You said I could be any witch I wanted!"

We all met and gathered at Susy's table and enjoyed the company, crafts, and coversation.

Donna Estes came from Texas with her baby and Diana Godwin (with the gloves) made jewelry

Diana, Shaunna Ludlow, Donna, Jessica Ringler, Krystal Bise with Krista in front

This is my sister-in-law Polly Lore - now this lady had ALL the bling. The trim on her dress was bats, her purse was purple and even her capstick had a spider.

Two sister Donna and Laura Tesch

We had a such a fun time, talking, laughing and eating

Everybody brought something yummy! Then we made Christmas crafts after the dinner.

This is Marie with Krystal's 3 day old baby

This is Krista with Donna's 3 month old baby

Laura gives the best haircare and Donna is learning how.

My mom with the newest grandbaby Peter

I loved the jewelry Diana made, the haircut Laura gave me, and enjoyed the talents of all the sisters, nieces, in-laws and my mom.  Life is really sweet.

Listening to Conference - at least I'm doing one thing right -

I listened to Elder Bednar yesterday and felt like I was doing at least one thing right - I'm doing something about my genealogy yen. Last Spring I went down to Arizona to visit with my Aunt Mary and help her go through all the stuff left over from Grandmother and Grandfather's belongings.  Aunt Shirley couldn't store the boxes in her garage or attic anymore and Aunt Mary needed to downsize because her son Michael and family was moving into the back apartment.  So we sorted through lots of paper and after I got overwhelmed and couldn't figure out what was valuable and what wasn't I bought the biggest suitcase I could find and stuffed it with anything that might be remotely usable and brought it home.  It did sit for a bit while I decided -procrastinated- about what to do with it all.  Bonnie Mattson keeps writing on her legacy blog, which spurred me to do something.  I love the article "PhD in Genealogy" as I certainly have papers that are piled high and deeper! And you know what?  It's my job to preserve it but someone else's job to use it.  So I have a new blog titled "What's in the Suitcase?" - I pick up a piece of paper then scan it and publish it so my relatives can see, look and maybe use it as needed.  It gave me great joy to listen to the messages in General Conference about the youth doing Genealogy work and I feel if I do my part someone somewhere may benefit later - hopefully.  Speed reading through some of the heart-wrenching stories as I scan, has made me appreciate the good life I have.  I would hate to have these stories forgotten or never heard. There are testimonies that have been given and need to be heard by children today.   Life is sweet.

We're going to turn the water off......

So over here at Adams' Central construction (and destruction) are going full force as years of neglect are being ripped away from the old upstairs bathroom.  I'd had it with leaky pipes and crumbling Sheetrock and fortunately Anthony Durst was available to do something about it.

This is what has caused concern every time I go out to wash the clothes.  Something bad is happening in the wall.

Anthony and his good friend (I'm really going to have to find out his name again - he's a great plumber) have stripped out the walls and floors to get to the root of all the problems.

If you notice you can see the water heater down below my bathroom. 

There must be something negative in my psyche that responds to the words, "We're going to turn the water off for a little while."  I say OK and decide to finish up my sewing project - hey no water problems.  Of course I have to go to the bathroom immediately but hey I have one flush.  My project isn't doable yet because I still need the batt for the baby quilt.  Do I get in the car and go to Joann's. No.  I vacuum the floor and spread out the material and fold it up for tonight.  

It will be a hot day starting this afternoon and no one will want to be in the kitchen so grilling the salmon now and using it later will be good.  Of course the salmon slips a little out of the package and I catch hold of it, ease it over the rack and put spices etc. on it.  No water for the hands.  That's OK I use one of my wipes. 

Cleaning up is.......well I have been a cub scout leader for years, I do have a 5 gallon bottle of water........ pouring bottled water (not hot) over the utensils and roasting pan and wire and leaving it for later when the water and water heater are restored.  I need a drink and notice my hands are still fishy. Boiling the potatoes with bottled water is an expensive way to go. But it will beat the heat later. 

This is ridiculous why do I  even start things when I could be doing something that doesn't require water?
Actually that's why I'll be washing off my computer keys later.  I'm just consoling myself that I didn't start dicing the onions......

Off Early

You can't tell it is a beautiful morning because the fog over the mountain made this side of the mountain a little gray.  But as we left home around 6:30 am the sunrise was gorgeous!  I could only imagine what it looked like on top of the cloud covering us.
President Hunter has really made my children feel free to use and come to the Temple.  Rachel was looking through the ward bulletin yesterday and saw that the Temple would be open and the youth were encouraged to bring their limited use recommends without an appointment.  She wanted to go so we all went and then had Breakfast afterward at Buttercup - Michael's idea.  Rebekah said her contribution was being cheerful on a day she didn't have to work and could have slept in!

I love Cub Scouts!

I really had fun at the Day Camp this Year!

All the babies are getting married!

When I Moved Into CV 1 Ward....

Shortly after we moved to Concord and attended the CV 1 Ward, I was called to the Primary Presidency with Stephanie Lambertson.  In fact her husband was one of our home teachers who invited us to a ward round-up the first week we moved in.  They had four small children three girls and a baby boy.  Dale died of cancer before his boy even made it to a year and a half.  So as you may have guessed we all have watched this family closely for years.

Christina, Jennifer, David, Stephanie and Sherry

As of last Saturday, Stephanie now has three girls married in 3 years, a new granddaughter and a son on a mission.  (Christina and Stephanie both served missions)

Christina and Daniel married August 20, 2011

Stephanie carries on beautifully every year

I watch in awe the trials and triumphs of this beautiful friend and her tenacity and spirit. She has traveled with infants and small children all over the United States and later travelled to far countries with her children and friends.  She works hard and is very fun to be around.  Can do - is how I think of her.

So Many Blessings in One Year!!!

On July 2, we got the news!  Andrew is engaged to Jessica Fisher!  Wow, go on a little vacation and everything happens.  I asked about her and she is petite, burnette, loves to dance, is an opera singer, and plays the piano beautifully.  My heart is really full.

Andrew is way cuter!!!

Jessica Fisher

I found 2 pictures on facebook, but it isn't as nice as the ones of their engagment that her parents took but they are on a protected site and I don't have any downloads.  So this is it for now!
She is from Sandy, Utah and has two sisters and a brother.  Her parents are very accomplished and talented.  Her mom Katherine has homeschooled her children for 13 years!  Katherine was in a triatholon in June.  I hope to meet everyone soon........well after cub day camp, Adams reunion, girls camp, my nephew's wedding....... maybe in August.......

Blessings amonst the Crisis

Our neighbors house was half destroyed this evening by fire.  Rebekah came home from work and said the neighbors house was on fire and she could see flames leaping out.

Five fire engines, 2 fire chief suv's, more than 4 police cars and many, many spectators.  Irreplaceable memories are gone.  And looking at these photos you may wonder where the blessing are ---

The entire family got out safely, it happened in the daylight so it was noticed quickly, the firemen were able to save half of the house, and the contractor came just as the firemen left.