AZ Powells - We like it HOT

Friday, May 7, 2010

Gila Valley Temple

The Gila Valley Temple Open House is happening right now. We decided it would be a wonderful experience taking the kids - it isn't often that there are open houses and we have been lucky to take the kids to the Newport Beach Temple and now the Gila Valley Temple. We are super excited for the Gilbert & Phoenix Temples to be built can't wait for those open houses. How wonderful is it that our kids will have experienced living in 2 different Temple districts and be able to participate in the Celebrations that go with getting a new Temple. Due to mass work, I ended up going without Stevan :( and Clayton will have to go with Grandma & Grandpa when they get back in town (he REALLY wants to go insdie a Temple - I think he's still committed to finding Jesus' bedroom and hoping he can have a chat with him). We left early - Google Map said it would take 3 hours, so with our reservation being 12:45, we left at 8:30am, to allow for a stop or two and lunch before getting to the Temple. On our way, there was a report that there had been an accident between Superior and Globe, and that the 60 had been closed down, but that it should re-open by 10am...so as we get closer - and its almost 10am, I notice traffic slowing down...great...I take a back-road through Superior and get past where the cars are lined up, but they still wouldn't let us on the 60...so listening to the radio we hear that they extended the closure until 11am. We decided take an alternate route rather than sit there for an hour - roughly an 80 mile out of the way detour to get around the closure and back to Globe so we can then get to Pima...We got to drive south through Kearney to Winkleman ( no need to go see those places people - boring) and then back north to the main highway at Globe...then back on track. Luckily we took this route instead of waiting it out, cause no sooner had we gotten back on track, we heard on the news that the closure was extended again until noon :( So we made it to the Temple just a little before our appointment time :) From the outside the Temple actually looks smaller than Newport Beach...It is beautiful inside as it should be and the kids really enjoyed the tour. They loved seeing the baptismal font, to which they noted that in the Newport Beach Temple they still had their scripture stones under the oxen...they hope they will be able to do this also for the Gilbert Temple. The girls LOVED the brides room with its beautiful chandalier and mirrors. The mural in the ordinance room was amazing...a beautiful desert scene, quite a change from the beach scene in Newport, and the last ordinance room was beautiful with slight blue accents in the filigree on the ceilings and in the lighting. The Celestial Room was also amazing as it should be, the girls were especially inpressed, as was I, of the huge chandalier in the middle - it was so bright and amazing to look at. The tour ended in 1 of the 2 sealing rooms which were also beautiful - the kids really enjoyed being at the altar looking at the mirrors. Mason talked with Ashlen about the sealing room we were sealed in and asked her if she remembered sitting on the altar as we were being sealed...what a memory - I don't even remember that!!!! He also thinks that the mirrors were full length in that room...anyone anyone....are there any full length mirrors in the largest sealing room off the Celestial Room in the LA Temple??? I guess Stevan and I need to go back and look...its been forever since we've been there...sorry for the digression...so the kids loved it - we then went to the building next door and enjoyed the cookies and displays, grabbed our cameras and headed back to take some photos outside the Temple. We ended up leaving after spending about an hour at the Temple and started on our trip back home. We stopped at this awesome little place for lunch on our way out of town...Taylors Freeze - we highly recommend it - good burgers and onion rings - and got back with no detour in 2 1/2 hours...the ride between Globe ad Superior is only 17 miles!!!! aaarrrggghhhh...well we made it and that was the point - detour or no detour. What a great day :)

Messing around

So we got new phones...which is a good thing I guess....my poor old phone has to be plugged in constantly in order for it to be charged and then it would get really hot and so it burned my ear when I used it...and then when we unplugged it it had a charge for maybe an hour if I was lucky :( ...so needless to say I needed one - I'd been putting it off waiting for the "upgrade" time..but when it came I only qualifid for $75.00!!! really??? what can you get for that these days...a whole lot of nothing!!! So I played the game and came out with 2 new phones, changed the plan, canceled an old line and got a new line :) I got a Blackberry and Mason got a samsung something or rather to which he was playing around with today on our trip to the temple and found out it had cool photo features and took this pic of Tristen!!! There are a ton of fun things it can do!!! So - bottom line - we got cool new phones :)

Missing Clayton

I was missing Clayton this morning and someone must have known....thanks for sending me this Big T!!!!! I sure hope you guys are enjoying him!!!!!!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Snake Bite??

Mason went on a scout overnighter and while on his walk out - was bit. He spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa so when we saw him that night - he told us his ankle was sprained. I told him to let me see it so I could wrap it and I saw this...........................

So we asked him what happened...he said that he was hiking out and he felt a sharp pain..he thought he walked into a cactus or something and blew it off. When he got home his ankle hurt but he figured he had just sprained it. Gotta love that!!! So we called Brad Davis to see what he thought...we were correct to assume that if something were to happen it would have by then- he had been bit several hours earlier and there was no line going up his leg from the bite. He was bit right on the ankle bone so 1 of 2 things may have happened...first - the snake hit bone - so there was not really any flesh he could sink his fangs into....second - the snake had previously struck at something within 24 hours and there was not enough venom left to create any real problems. Whatever the reasoning - we were pretty glad nothing happened and told Mason to try be a little more observant next time he was out hiking :)

Work Day at the Temple & Deep Thoughts

We took the kids last Saturday to go do some gardening at the Mesa Temple. We bought gardening gloves and were all excited to "put our shoulder to the wheel".....so we were put on grapefruit picking up and raking duty ...which was fun...and we got to hang with the Baileys. Stevan and Tor were busy getting the grapefruit from the tree and the kids were picking up the grapefruit and tasting it. I spent time raking leaves and after a while we were all done. According to the kids - the grapefruit was super sweet...go figure...they were all sitting around sucking on them :) So the groundskeeper gathered us all together for a closing song - I love to see the Temple - and a closing prayer - what a wonderful morning. Before we closed, he talked about the power of the Temple and encouraged the children to all go up and touch the Temple walls. Of course my kids wanted to do this, so while Stevan got all our junk together, I took Tristen and Clayton and we walked around the Temple so that they could touch the walls at the front of the Temple. While we were walking Clayton started in on his questions....the conversation went something like this.......So mom, this is Jesus' house right?...Yes Clayton this is our Heavenly Father's house...so is he inside right now? can we go inside and see if he is home?.....well Clayton, first off we are not dressed to go inside the Temple, we need to wear our very best church clothes, and second Jesus is not inside for us to meet with, he has lots of houses and he doesn't "live" here......ok - maybe he is taking a nap in one of the rooms and we could ask them if we can check real fast........Clayton, you cannot go inside until you are 12 - and you are not dressed to go inside - I am sure that Jesus is not sleeping in one of the rooms inside the Temple........so when do you think I can see him, I really want to talk with him and see him......Well when you pray you can talk to him Clayton, you will see him someday........Are you sure mom, you know that I will see him.........Yes Clayton - the day will come when you can see him.....So I need to have my church clothes on and we can come back when I am bigger and then I will get to see him?..........Yes Clayton :) I then told him about the upcoming Gila Valley Temple Open House and let him know that he would be able to go inside that Temple, to which he was pretty excited about - he added that he would make sure he had his church clothes on so they would let him inside. After that both he and Tristen walked up to the Temple and touched its walls - they were pretty excited. What a great moment we had, a teaching moment and a glimpse into the mind of a little guy who has perfect faith, believing that he can talk and see Jesus. On another note - he and Tristen are very unhappy that they cannot attend the Temple dedication...Ashlen "rubbed it in their face" and they were not pleased...Tristen was reassured that she would be old enough for the Gilbert Temple dedication...Hopefully there will be another one close by when Clayton is older :)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

"Work" week at the River

Jason, Stevan and Joyce

Robbie

Me & Clayton

Stevan

Clayton is not too sure about a QUAD - these bikes are for girls!!!

See - they are working...................

And more working.................................

Joyce and her stuck quad :(

Clayton & Danica

The boys are on the hills

Yay - We had our first weekend at the River for 2010. So officially it wasn't really a "weekend away" and technically I wasn't even invited, but the guys had decided to make it a Work Weekend and do some repairs at the house...and since I've been running like a crazy person for forever, Stevan suggested I come along and spend time laying out relaxing without kids :) Love him!! So the kids were packed up and stayed with Grandma & Grandpa minus Clayton, who I decided could come with us last minute. He really wanted to go and see Robbie & Debby....Debby didn't end up going, but Danica did and I figured he'd keep her company so I could relax :) We also had complaints from the kids who wanted to go and "help"....they were sure we'd get the boat out to which I said "no way - we are WORKING!!".....so imagine our surprise when we pulled up and saw the boat out :) We went for a quick ride and then went to dinner at Crossroads (yummy) and then went home and watched movies and hung out until the morning. Clayton and Danica went on golf cart rides...a highlight if you ask him. Stevan got up at the butt crack of dawn and proceeded to hammer away at the deck :( I finally got up and did some more relaxing until we decided to break out the dirtbikes and take a little break. we had fun - I rode the quad and took Clayton on his first quad ride...you know quads are for girls!!! He was unsure but ended up liking it - he was mad that he didn't have his own riding gear, but he got over it quick. Jason Mackay's fiance was there riding for the first time and rode the quad into some water...the boys were off on the hills so I had to ride home, get the truck and tow the quad out....ha ha - poor thing was scared she'd wrecked the bike. After testing the bikes I laid out and read my book while Clayton played with the beach toys - we went up for lunch and then back for more laying out and a new book......all the while the boys did some work. We ended up not getting the boat out and everything cleaned up and put away until 6ish, so I was dead and not willing to get in the car and drive 3 hours home...so we stayed the night and woke up super early and drove home to find our happy kids frown when Clayton told them about all the "work" we did....woo hoo - I did a LOT of relaxing - it was much needed.

Monday, April 19, 2010

A Hiking he will go...

Clayton has been going hiking with Grandpa Powell and is a pretty good one at that. We've been lucky - all our kids have enjoyed hiking...not that we go frequently, but when we do go, they walk and do not complain. We take them when they are young and let them go for it, so that probably helps. Clayton takes his UCLA backpack and has a walking stick and water in his bag. He really enjoys it :)

Happy Birthday Tristen

Our little T is SEVEN. She is a fun kid - she always has something to say and she is not afraid to say it, whenever, wherever. For her birthday we picked up donuts for breakfast and then her friend Chase to spend the day together. We started out making a pit-stop at her most favorite store ever...Justice, where she picked out some cute clothes, a swimsuit, flip-flops and earings and smelly lotion. Her and Chase got "Best Friends" bracelets (they broke) and Stevan got pics on his phone...but I don't have any. We then went to San Tan Village and ate lunch and then saw "How to Train your Dragon". It was a great movie - we ate tons of popcorn and had a great day. She has been a real turd since she turned seven....We really miss the old Tristen...but I guess she is spreading those wings of hers...growing up and testing the waters...we'll get over it - I guess she had to grow up sooner or later..we just hoped she wouldn't be as defiant as she has been...Guess that comes from Stevan?!? We still love her :) Can't wait until she's eight!!!!

Spring Break part II

Things have been crazy - we have been busy and I have not been good about keeping things updated. The kids finished their last week of Spring Break with Grandma & Grandpa Wasilewski up in Concho Az. The kids had a blast - they tended to the chickens, they played with the dogs, they went exploring, they hung out and ate lots of ice-cream, they did whatever they wanted and loved spending time with Grandma & Grandpa.