Last Week of April 2012

Here are some photos that do not fit into a separate blog post this week.  We got a food drop on Thursday just before we left for zone interviews...the APs happened to be at the Mission Home for a meeting and were there to help unload.  An assembly line was quickly formed and all was unloaded.  Elder Barrett wore the cabbage leaf that President Taylor stuck on his head proclaiming that his family would love to see that the Arizona Phoenix Mission provides free toupees for all missionaries who need them!!!



It was loads of fun having Braden along for a day of interviews in Cottonwood and Prescott.  He got to do the Cleaning Relay race against his Dad once and against both of us in another.  For not having much experience cleaning, he did just fine!

 Braden also is a second witness that one of our missionaries, Elder Carroll, reminds us of a good friend back in Provo.  We think he looks like Kevin Torgersen...well, what Kevin may look like at age 20!  I love to see Elder Carroll and his smile!

 I got to go teach with Sisters Bruckman, Falke and Parks.  We taught a lesson to Troy.  I don't know if I have ever met someone so sincerely desiring to choose the right in my life.  He can't wait to go back to Church for how happy it made him last week.  We had a lovely discussion with him!

 Sister Parks got to extend a baptism invitation which he accepted...here she is trying to click her heels for joy!

It was a delight to go out with Sisters who light up the very air we breathe with the joy of living the Gospel.  This is something that Troy commented on.  He noticed how happy we all were.  It is how he feels now that he is learning about the Gospel.  It is something we should treasure and recognize how blessed we are each day!

SMILE!


We stayed overnight in Prescott since we went out with the missionaries at night.  The next morning we went first to get Braden new running shoes so he would not ruin his Vans...then hiking up THUMB BUTTE near Prescott.  Here is where we realized we have become "lowlanders."  We were huffing and puffing up the steep incline due to the high altitude.  I am thinking..."I run all the time.  I run far.  How come I can't just do this.  I am going to struggle moving back to Provo some day."  It was a good hike for us and a beautiful day!

We have had two visits from returned missionaries this week.  First from Pierce Johnston who left us last fall...and has enjoyed his year at BYU-Idaho.
(I look squashed between all my boys!)
He is doing GREAT!  Makes us so happy to hear how our missionaries adjust back to post-mission life and keep finding joy in living the Gospel.

 Next from Joe Cannon who just returned home to Seattle about three weeks ago!  He brought his parents to see his mission area and to meet us.



We certainly love our returned missionaries and are so grateful to them for WHO THEY ARE!

We are also so grateful to our missionary parents for helping them BECOME WHO THEY ARE!

It would not be a picture of Joe Cannon without a traditional "thumbs-up" picture.
THANK YOU FOR THE VISITS!

Visit from Aaron, Michelle and Family 4/12

What a great day to go to the ZOO!  It is April, this means it is Spring, and it also means that in Phoenix it has the potential to be over 100 degrees!!!

Yes, it was about 103 the last time we checked that day...and of course, it has been much nicer every day since.

We found many animals at the zoo..including this wild monkey named MATTHEW!

 The giraffes were in good form, sticking out long, black tongues to reach the leaves.


Relief came when we reached one of two splash-parks within the zoo!  It was heaven for the kids to get cool and wet!

 We stayed there a long time letting them cool down and relax!  Greatest idea ever for any park in Phoenix!!

The cactus were in full bloom this month and so pretty.  We are learning that every season has different things that bloom here in the desert.

The zoo is huge!  We realized we have been here twice and not seen all the displays yet.  The desert landscaping is very nice as well, with many native plants including lots of cactus.

We made one more stop where we found misters going...in this little Mexican village area of the zoo.  Perfect place for a family photo shoot!

 That night the boys went to an ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS GAME vs the PHILLIES.  This left Ella and Collin to come home with Michelle and I to keep busy for the night.  First I put on the sprinkler for the kids to run through.  We cooked hamburgers for dinner and then we made a bunch of beautiful hairbows...

We picked a bunch of grapefruits and oranges...and tons of our little cherry tomatoes from our garden here!

It was very fun having the house full of laughter and kids voices for a couple of days!



The kids liked the "pineapple tree" and LOVED the geckos that come out each night and "hang out" all around the patio walls.  They liked our rabbits and our birds and lizards.

THANK YOU  Aaron and Michelle and Ella and Matthew and Collin for coming to see us on our mission!  We can't wait to see our new niece when she arrives in August!  Well, at least pictures of her.

You are a very special family making really good choices!
WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

Random Thought This Week

Just some random thoughts about this week.

First of all, I made something new.

Last weekend we came home to a food shipment consisting of some Poblano peppers.  I looked up online how they are best used and was delighted to hear you could make CHILE RELLENOS from them.  This is one of President Taylors favorite restaurant choices!

I learned how to fire roast them in the oven, peel them, clean them out and stuff them with cheese and spinach (which we also got in the food drop)  THEY WERE DELICIOUS...time consuming but delicious!  I felt like a "real wife/mom" that day!

 Wednesday night I got to go out with Sisters Uriostegui and Graves.

We had SO MUCH FUN!  We taught a grandma and her grandson that were just delightful!

We set the camera on the car with a timer to get this shot...

...then tried the old "hold the camera out in front of your own face" shot and got this treasure!

We laughed until we cried!

I obviously have no aim and way too short of arms!

It was a fun week!!!

We ended it by going to a baptism way down in Buckeye Stake...and with Braden doing a mini triathlon over in Pima with the Young Men.  Hope to get some pics from someone to post about that!