South Beach Diet

Remembering WWII

I allready did a post last year on Memorial Day. But my brother sent me a couple new pictures I wanted to post just to keep them in my blog. This is my dad who was an Ensign in the Navy during WWII.
This is his ship "LST 264 which would transport troops and machinery.

My moms favorite picture of my dad. Quite a handsome guy!
Much needed rec. time aboard ship.
He drove to California from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois on a 10 day leave to get married. Then flew back to Norfolk, Virginia and 27 months duty on the LST 264.

Those Dog Gone Doughnuts

Just experimenting with my new camera I got for Mothers Day. It's a Panasonic Lumix -
Danny highly recommended it.
We still are getting tons of artichokes - this plant is about 4 years old. Its taken over the whole vegetable garden.
Bentley and Molly doing a little weeding for me.
Bentley is a great Bee watcher and Bird chaser.
Those "dog gone" doughnuts. Kenzie made all of these this afternoon after church while I slept.
These are the kiss of death melt in your mouth kind. She learned how to make Roxanne's famous doughnut recipe for Young Women a couple weeks ago. Bentley's barking at me in the window. She made chocolate ones, maple pecan ones, and sprinkle kinds. This is the first white flour I've had since I started my South Beach Diet. It was worth it. Good thing I'm scheduled to go bike riding in the morning.

Young Women - Moving On Graduates and Leaders

Louisa gave a great lesson in Young Women today about Friendship and Love. She always does such great lessons. In this picture Mackenzie, Christy and Dannika were getting a disease of heart stickers on their faces if someone gave them a compliment. Then everyone was giving compliments out to each other and getting heart stickers on their faces.
Louisa read a story and Lexi let go of the balloons to represent friendship. "Friendship can make your spirits Sore".
Noel Frame is Mackenzie's Beehive Leader. She is in the middle of the picture and it's hard to tell because she looks just like one of the girls. It was her last Sunday with us because she is moving out of the ward. We will miss her and her family so much. Kenzie's other Beehive advisor Emily Johnson is also moving. We are dwindling down in numbers. Plus we had two High School Graduates moving on to Relief Society: Carly Weed, who is sitting down in front and Whitney Stine who is second from the left. I have been in Young Women for 8 1/2 years and this
is my second batch of Young Women graduates to leave me since their Beehive Years. It doesn't get any easier to watch them go but they will love Relief Society and will be welcomed with opened arms.

Week of Birthdays

This week we are celebrating 4 birthdays in our family. Rick's mom, Wanda was on Monday.
Derek's was Tuesday and my Dad's was Wednesday and my oldest son Danny is this Sunday.
This picture was a couple years ago right before Derek left on his mission. That's alot of birthdays to wish everyone. Maybe Kenzie can use her new found cake decorating skills and "bake them a cake or something". HAPPY BIRTHDAY We love you!!!

Wednesday Night Activity

Beehive ActivityKenzie came home last night with a beautiful cake she learned how to decorate in Young Women. She was so proud and happy. Thank you leaders for all the time and effort you spend away from your family to serve the Lord and help these young women.
Mia Maid and Teachers Joint Activity: We played dodge ball with these googlily eyes I made with styrofom cups. It would have worked out better with a heavier ball. I bought too light of a
ball and the ball floated so gently in the air. But it was still fun with the disadvantage of not being able to see so well and was quite entertaining to watch. One good thing came out of it, we had 5 non-members come and participated. Our ward is so small that we have to recruit from around the neighborhood to get enough people to have fun! Afterward we sat in a circle and ate popsicles and found out things we didn't know about each other.
\The Priests and Laurels got together and did a slip and slide at the retention basin.

Girls Camp YCL High Adventure 09

This year I'm our wards Girls Camp Director. On Sat. we had the YCL's High Adventure. It was
based on the "Amazing Race" and they divided up into teams and had leaders drive the girls around town locating clues and following directions. It was a great activity for team bonding and leadership skills. 4 YCL's went from our ward and two of them were on my team, Kristin and Bethany we were called the "Green Gorilllas" ( it was so random that I got that name).

They had to canoe around Tempe Town Lake.
We had to count all the Palm trees on the temple grounds and found out a little known fact that there is exactly 198 Palm Trees on the Temple grounds.Downtown Mesa is famous for their sculptures and our girls had to pose with a statue on Main Street.
This years YCL girls.

Breakfast ! Carly's most important part of the day.Plank Walk : requires great skill and team work.Climbing over a 10 foot wall requires strength and ability.Piece of Cake. Our team won by at least a half hour to spare!! Way to go "Green Gorillas".

Carson "Sees the Light"

"Time for my beauty sleep"
"It's Magic"
"Look Ma...No teeth"
Mmmm...want to taste my flashlight?

Breakfast For Champions

Tomorrow is Mothers Day and to all mothers with missionaries it's a very special day because we get a phone call from our missionary son or daughter. Derek will be calling at 9:00 a.m. London is 7 hours ahead of Arizona time. This great picture is Pres. Foulger making breakfast for God's Champions. Derek is top left next to the President. Derek is now serving in the town of Watford as a Zone Leader. He said the ward is a great missionary minded ward and they should
be seeing alot of baptisms in the next few months. We just got Derek's release date which is Sept. 3rd.
This is a picture of the Parilment Building

Block Party 09 "Quatro De Mayo"

This year our block party was in our backyard. It was called "Quatro De Mayo and it was a Mexican Potluck, with pinata for the kids and Horne's brought thier snow cone machine. Party crasher "Parker" jumping over a trash bag and getting air.
Diane showing off her ping pong skills. What a good sport!
Bishop (husband Jim) looking on and enjoying a cool and tasty snow cone.
Garrett - "I'm too cool".
Seth and Conner with "twin" pinata hats.
Kenzie, Dallin and neighbor on a "sugar high".
The latest neighborhood gossip flying time.
A little shy at the pinata, very polite, wondering
who's going first.
I wouldn't trade our neighborhood for anything. We have the greatest neighbors who really care
about each other and care about the neighborhood. Patty Steiner and Connie Shelley did a great
job of organizing the block watch party. I think this was the most people we've had in a long time. Everybody enjoyed the beautiful night and each other.