Mr. Anderson (Agent)

Supposedly, there has been an actor on t.v. that the kids have thought Del looked like.  The actor has starred in several rolls, but is most famously known in a role where he plays a 'Mr. Anderson', a man that wears a suit, tie and always has on dark sunglasses.  I had never been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this character until a few weeks ago, when I happened to be watching t.v. and a commercial came on with Mr. Anderson.  OMG!!!!!  I gave a little squeal and called for Del to come in the room.  He came in and I asked him, 'Is this you???'  Sure enough, Del looked VERY much like the Mr. Anderson on tv.  The kids were right.   I see the resemblance.

Celebrating the 4th of July

The holiday fell on a Thursday this year which made for a really awkward weekend.
But we started the fun on Wednesday night, when everyone came over to the house to have a sleep over.  Kylie had Mike set up a tent outside where she planned on camping out with Preston.  Jordan and Lexi were set up in the guest bedroom and then the rest of us had our already designated beds.  We had a big dinner and barbeque and had Preston play outside in the tent, but he decided late at night that sleeping outside was not what he really wanted to do, so Kylie brought everything inside and set it up on the floor of the front room.  That's where they were to be found early the next morning. Mike and Madi had gone home to sleep in the comfort of their own beds but came over early the next morning.
The morning of the 4th was spent making a big pancake breakfast and salad for the activity we were going to.  We have some great friends in the ward that had invited us to go boating with them at the lake - so off we were in our bathing suits and ready for some fun.  The pictures tell it all.
A great and exhausting day was had by us all.

The Bishop Has Had ENOUGH

The garden is....gone.  No more.
It had been failing for days; even weeks.
Del tried to revive it...save it and even resurrect it.  But it was not to be.
So one day this past week, I came home from work to find this.....Del had mowed down the corn, and was roto-tilling up the rest of the garden, except the strawberries, grapes and raspberries.  Those, he still cannot part with and sees hope.
But the rest of the garden is gone.  Del didn't want to spend the time, money, water or energy on it anymore when he knew it wouldn't work.
So, he now claims it as an expensive learning experience.  I claim it as my 'lost furniture'.
And from that experience, Del received HUNDREDS of chigger bites and the scars to prove it.
But we'll know better what to do for this next year, maybe even this Fall.

Pinterest: Keep Out of the Reach of Children

Kathryn is ADHD - I know she is.
She gets bored soooo easily - has to always be finding something new to do, experiment with; try.
Her latest thing?
Pinterest.
One night, I'm on the computer looking at facebook, and she comes in to the kitchen asking me...'do we have peroxide?'  'do we have tissue paper?' 'how do you separate egg whites?'  ETC ETC.
I knew SOMETHING was up...but what??
A few minutes later, she emerges from her bathroom looking like the picture below.
This supposedly removes blackheads...along with about three layers of skin.  I heard it all from the other room.  I couldn't help but laugh my head off as she peeled the tissue from her face screaming in discomfort.  But she swears it worked!!!



A few days later, I see a new can of Maxwell House coffee on the counter in the kitchen.
Well, considering we don't drink coffee, I'm wondering what possible adventure Kathryn is up to THIS time.
Apparently, coffee grinds remove unwanted facial hair.
Kathryn claims her face is as 'soft as a baby's bottom'.
Nice.

A Humbling Harvest

It's early - way too early for a full harvest.
But this is humbling.
I was so hopeful...and proud; thinking that all our hard work would be sufficient reason for me to have gardening bragging rights.
But the Lord is humbling me and it appears that this year of gardening and hopeful harvest will be a 'learning year' for us; learning about the Texas soil, Texas heat and what grows well and what doesn't....in Texas.
I've been thrilled to have the occasional onion, and one or two strawberries.  Most everything else looks like it will die before it has a time to fully mature.  Our green beans have been a HUGE disaster...both crops dying...our potatoes have died.  Our tomato plants are producing about one tomato each and then withering away.  The carrots are almost humorous, they are so tiny and skinny...I have hope for the squash and the corn, but even my hope for them is starting to wane.  Before my job, I was giving my garden daily care and consideration.  Now, I am barely lucky to get outside once a week.
FRUSTRATING and yes, disappointing.
BUT...we ARE leaning a lot from the experience this year and will hopefully do things next year enough differently to get a better result.
Speaking of my job...it is what it is.  Just a job.  Still not emotionally invested but grateful for a second income.  Del is finding it comforting to be back on our financial 'plan' or goals with the second income.  I am glad to be contributing, but wish it were something that I could LOVE.  I wonder if I'll ever find a job I really LOVE.
Father's Day was last Sunday and we had all the children over to give Del a sweet recognition of what a wonderful father he is.  I sure love him, as do the kids.  He is a good man, a good father and a very sweet and loving husband.  I am truly blessed.  The Primary children made him something for Father's Day too.  A picture of a tree, with all of their thumb prints being the leaves of the tree.  It was really cute and he will put it in his office at the church.
Mike got a new job; one that will bring in a substantially bigger income that his current job.  He will start the beginning of July.  It will be a huge blessing for their family if he and Kylie will just be wise in their saving and budgeting of their finances.  Jordan got a promotion in his job and he and Lexi are hoping to buy a small home out here in our area.  I would love to have them closer.  Kathryn continues at her job and makes better money than I do some weeks.  She is bored with life right now though...wants so many things different but hates waiting for them.  Patience will be something she needs to work on.
I was on facebook this past week where some of my friends were doing some 'summer 'things - canning, making homemade freezer jam etc etc... I was jealous of their time and ability to do some of things that I have always made time for in the past.  I don't even have time to go and find raspberries on sale, let alone make the jam.  I've found myself missing my Utah garden...dreaming of the days we used to pick beans, corn and then can it and freeze it.  I miss having freezer jam - I miss making dinner for my family.  I miss being home.  But, I must be grateful for all that I DO have and not complain.  Someday, I will be able to do it all again.  'A time and a season for all things.'.
In the meantime...enjoying my church calling, being mom and grandma and wife.  So busy though and not taking enough time to write everything that happens each day.  My sister Elaine is going to be having a grandbaby bumper crop this next year.  Each of her married children are expecting babies...and her one daughter, Janene is having twins.  There will be a lot of excitement going on in that family this next year.  I've heard from my mother a few times and she seems to be doing well.  She's not the 'lonely' type - she likes her quiet and she likes her calm so I know she is happy.  Yes, she misses my daddy, but really is peaceful about the whole thing.  She's a good woman.  I love her.
NBA playoffs.  My team isn't in it, but I'm enjoying watching it anyways.  I don't watch much tv anymore, since working.  I work 6 days a week...kind of doesn't leave time for much else.

Memorial Day

We had all the kids out for the holiday.
And since I am now bringing in a paycheck again, we felt we could finally go out and get ourselves a new barbecue!!!  So Del and I went out early Monday morning to Lowes to hit the sales and we got ourselves a nice barbecue that Jordan and Del spent the nest 2-3 hours putting together; (with Lexi's much needed supervision).  We had a wonderful barbecued chicken dinner, Sean and Becky made taffy and then there were water balloons and volleyball to be played out in the front yard.  Sean had been sunburned from the day before and was barely able to move, let alone participate in the games, but he was a sport to be with us at all.  It was a nice, relaxing holiday...and a 'paid holiday' at that.
Del, with the help of Jordan and a young man in our ward, has been able to repaint and put together a really nice play set/swing set monkey bars set on the side of the house for the kids to play on.  It looks really great and will allow many fun years for the grand kids to enjoy.
Speaking of grand kids....
Look what they have been up to....

Madison is sitting up by herself now...sooo big!!!
And Preston is just getting so big, his vocabulary getting bigger and bigger and his singing abilities with the Primary songs have progressed to where he has 'Popcorn Popping' down to perfection!  He loves to throw rocks at Papa's house and his new favorite???  Water Balloons!!!!!  We try to stay continually stocked with balloons for any possible fun he may want to have. He also loves sharks....and has just gone from his crib to his new 'big boy bed' with his sheets being what???  Sharks and whales.  His mommy and daddy say he is doing well in his new bed.

Updates

I've been busy.
Not had time to write.
I started my job at the bank over in the branch in Pilot Point where I will work from now on.
I work in the drive thru with four different lanes.  It is the busiest branch of all the branches, as it is the 'head office' of the bank.  We have more customers than any other branch.  And come Friday's, it is literally CRAZY.  I am catching on quickly, but still making some mistakes; most of them silly, but one's that I still need to fix  I balance almost every day after dealing with literally hundreds of thousands of dollars.  It's mind boggling at times.  Do I like my job???  Right now, it's just a job.  I'm not really emotionally invested in it, as it doesn't pay really well, and I really do wish I could either do something else, or, stay home all together.  But, that's not an option right now.
My garden isn't doing well. Between the bugs, worms and caterpillars, my beans have had to be replanted twice now.  Our potato plants are starting to die, and my tomatoes are not going to produce like I hoped they would.  I still have hope for the corn, but after so much hard work, I am pretty discouraged at the lack of progress some of the garden is showing.  I'm trying not to be bitter.
I have been released as a Primary teacher and just recently called as the second counselor over cub scouts.  I am in charge of Sharing time for the month of June, so that started yesterday.  The children responded well and I'm feeling 'back in my element', so that is a good thing.